


Dragonborn Rising

by ordinarywriter29



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Anal Sex, Eventual Romance, F/M, Gratuitous Smut, Group Sex, Multiple Partners, Porn With Plot, Smut with a plot, Threesome - F/F/M, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2019-09-18
Packaged: 2019-09-27 06:33:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 188,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17157029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ordinarywriter29/pseuds/ordinarywriter29
Summary: Before he became the Dragonborn, Ragnar was many things. Thief. Mercenary. Warrior. Even as assassin. He enjoyed many things in life. Good food and alcohol. Travelling the breadth of Skyrim. The companionship of good friends. The finest weapons and armour coin could buy him. And fighting. He loved a good fight. But the one thing he enjoyed above all was the company of women. He was greedy in many ways, always desiring more than one, though more than once, he fell in love and dreamed of even more.This is his story.





	1. The Virgin Warrior

My name is Ragnar. Some called me ‘the Broad’, as I’m tall, being a Nord and all, and due to genetics, I was, well, broad. Others called me ‘the Fearless’, as during my times in the Fighter’s Guild of Cheydinal, I’d proven to have little sense of self-preservation though none doubted my bravery. Some, trying to make a joke, called me ‘the Blonde’, because I had long, dirty blonde hair that most Nords had, plus I think they were joking about my intelligence. I’m the first to admit I’m not the smartest of men, but I’m not a complete dullard either.

Before I begin to discuss my time in Skyrim, I guess you need to know about how I was and why I ended up walking into Skyrim and a series of life-changing events. I’m not sure where or when I was born, as I learned at an early age that I was an orphan, but I was probably born in the Imperial City. I was given the name Ragnar by the headmistress of the orphanage I lived in at a young age, and told early on that I was a Nord, who called a country named Skyrim their home. I never did learn who my mother or father were. Not that I tried too hard to find them. I’d been abandoned on the steps of the orphanage barely a few days old. I’d clearly been unwanted.

I spent ten years at the orphanage before running away, not that I think they would have been too bothered about that. There was only one woman who worked there that all the children liked. The headmistress was a stern, almost cruel woman, while the other two women who worked there cared little about our welfare. Looking back, I’m not sure why they even worked with children, but by the age of ten, I realised I wasn’t wanted there either, and had long since found friends with the street urchins.

Leaving the orphanage behind was a good choice, personally speaking. There were a group of kids who worked together, about a dozen of them, all looking out for each other, everything stolen was shared, and they never seemed to go hungry. The older ones taught me the finer art of being a pickpocket, how to tail a mark, how to be invisible in a crowd, and most importantly, how to get away as quickly and silently as possible.

We made a great team, and I thought I’d made some lifelong friends. But living and working the streets was dangerous, and over the years, we lost more than one to the city guard. And some people had no problem injuring if not killing us. I lasted six years before I fell afoul of a mark. By this stage, we were working for the Thieves Guild, most of us kids on the street being recruited at the age of fourteen. Still young enough not to draw too much attention, old enough to look after ourselves. And even at fourteen, I was larger, faster and stronger than the rest.

But while I had all those qualities, I was still a dumb kid. The job was one of the hardest I’d been given. Break into the house of a local lord in Cheydinhal and ransack his safe. I was probably overconfident, but while I managed to break into the house without a problem, the lord and his bodyguards were waiting for me in the darkness. To say I was beaten would be an understatement. By the time they were done with me, I had numerous broken bones, bleeding from numerous wounds, and how I survived was only a miracle… and a lot of magic and healing potions.

I had been rescued by a member of the local Fighter’s Guild and they sent for a healer and priestess to look after me as I recovered. They kept me under for around three days to lessen the pain. Waking up on the fourth day, the healer and priestess were still by my side, as was a member of the Thieves Guild, standing at the foot of the bed with his arms folded.

“Easy, child,” the priestess said softly, her voice soothing, “You’ve been seriously wounded.”

“Where am I?” I asked. My mind still fuzzy, I added, “What happened?”

“That’s what we’d like to know,” the guild man stated. It wasn’t unfriendly but the tone was stern.

I looked at the healer then the priestess. “How old are you?” the priestess asked.

“Sixteen winters, I think. I’m not sure.”

“And you’re a thief,” the healer stated. Not unkindly, but I probably looked like one. Rather filthy and my clothing was one worn by thieves.

“Not anymore. Not after…” I’ll admit that I almost cried. The pain was horrendous, and I knew I’d screwed up royally. The lord would know my face. And if I didn’t return to the Imperial City, the guild would come looking for me. My options were few, and none of them were good. Recognising I was still hurting, the healer gave me a little potion that put me back to sleep.

I was kept under for another week before I was finally woken up for good. The healers had done a bang up job, my broken bones having been set, the wounds healed up with only a few scars remaining, and there was only a lingering amount of pain that didn’t bother me too much. I immediately thanked the healer and priestess for their help, both suggesting I should see them as soon as I was up and about. That left me with the guild man, who introduced himself as Corvus, the local master of the guild. He sat down on the chair once occupied by the healer.

“Do you remember talking to us a week ago?”

“Barely.”

“Okay, I want to know a few things about you. Then I’m going to make you an offer. But you must be honest to hear the offer. Agreed?” I nodded immediately. “What’s your name?”

“Ragnar. I don’t have a surname. Some called me ‘The Broad’, others ‘The Blonde’.”

“Where are you from?”

“I live in the Imperial City. I’m homeless.”

“And you’re a thief?” I nodded. “Who injured you?”

I shrugged. “I never know the marks’ name. I just had the address or name of the residence.”

“I could ask, but that’s not important. He or they are the people who left you for dead?”

“Do you blame them?”

He paused before answering. “I don’t blame them for wanting to stop you. But even I can admit they went a little overboard. I’m being honest when I say they left you for dead, Ragnar. You’re lucky to be alive. You should definitely go thank the healer and the priestess.” I nodded, stating I would as soon as I could stand up. “Do you like being a thief?”

“I don’t like being homeless. I’d like to have a warm bed and full belly each day.”

“And how old are you?”

“Sixteen, I think. I’m being honest when I say I’m not sure.”

He nodded again. “How long have you been working for the Thieves Guild?”

“They recruited me at fourteen, but I’ve been homeless since I was ten.”

I think that surprised him, raising his eyebrows. “Where were you before then?”

“An orphanage. I left when I realised there was little point me staying until I was sixteen.”

“So you’ve had a hard life?”

Shrugging, I said, “I don’t blame anyone but myself. Each decision I’ve made was on my shoulders alone.”

“A rather responsible outlook for someone so young.” I shrugged again. I think that was a compliment. “So, want to hear my offer?” I nodded. “For someone so young, you’re quite… large, Ragnar. honestly, you already have the build of a warrior. All you need are the skills to be one. I’m willing to give you a way out of your current life. We accept men and women of all backgrounds, and as long as they follow the rules going forward, they will be accepted as one of us.”

He looked at me, and all I could eventually say was, “You’re serious?”

“I am. Do you really want to head back to the Imperial City, homeless, having failed your job, and still recovering from your wounds? Don’t you want a chance to escape that life? Stay with us, Ragnar, and you have the chance of doing something good with your life. You will learn to be a warrior, honour-bound. You’ll make coin, as you will be paid for every contract. Work hard enough, and prove your worth, and you might even end up running one of the guild chapters. But to get all that, you must agree to our rules and work your arse off to get there.”

I agreed, and after giving me a couple of days to get used to moving around, I got to work. He had me working for at least eight hours a day. If I wasn’t training with a weapon, I was doing exercises to get fit and slowly build muscle. If I wasn’t doing either of those things, I was cleaning and sharpening weapons, polishing armour, or generally helping around the building. But, mostly, it was about the training.

It took six months before he was confident enough to send me out on my first contract, and I learned quickly that I wasn’t to just turn up and start swinging a sword. Sometimes I would have to deal with a domestic issue. Occasionally it would be a pest problem. Every so often I would be sent to deal with some bandits, and that was when I knew all my training had been worth it, and I was rarely ever troubled by them. And then there were the missing person jobs, where I had to travel the length and breadth of Cyrodiil, feeding on scraps of information. I surprised myself by managing to find the person most of the time. Not always alive, though.

Once I started taking jobs and making some coin, I would do work for the other guild chapters around Cyrodiil, and slowly but surely ascended the ranks of the Fighter’s Guild. Every day I improved my skill with the blade, and even took up archery as a hobby, Corvus having suggested it was always good to learn a variety of skills. As I approached my eighteenth birthday, Corvus suggesting I should use the date I was found by the orphanage as that day, he sat me down and asked a rather personal question.

"Have you ever been with a woman, Ragnar?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Why not?”

Shrugging, I replied, “To be honest, I’ve been so focused on learning my craft and doing jobs I just haven’t thought about it.”

“You do like women though?”

I couldn’t help laugh, wondering if he was insinuating something. “Yes, Corvus, I do like women. There are a lot of pretty ones around Cheydinhal. As I said, I just haven’t worried about it.”

“Do you want to get laid?” I must have looked surprised at the question as he started to laugh. “It’s not a hard question, Ragnar. What date is your birthday again?”

“Twelfth of Midyear.”

“Okay. That night, we’ll take you out for a few drinks, then we’ll head to a particular tavern that will cater to certain tastes.”

“You mean a place of working girls?”

“Does that bother you? Or would you rather wait?”

“I’m not worried about it being special or anything. But now that I think about it, I wouldn’t mind getting laid. Will probably be a lot more fun than my hand.”

Corvus agreed that I’d have no contracts a couple of days before so I’d be in town for my birthday. I’d made friends within the local chapters across Cyrodiil, and was pleasantly surprised when a few of them arrived on my birthday. Once the sun started to set, we headed out into Cheydinhal, and as my face was now well known for good reasons, each tavern we entered, I received a free tankard of ale and a slap on the back.

Corvus had suggested that I enjoy myself but not get too drink. When I asked why, he whispered, “If you drink too much, your dick won’t work.”

I almost spat out my drink, probably looking at him wide-eyed as I asked, “Really?”

“Your first time is going to be nerve-wracking and awkward enough as it is without worrying about whether you can get hard or not.”

“I don’t think that will be a problem.”

“No, you’ll probably cum in two seconds. But you’re young, so you’ll recover quickly at least.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Corvus.”

He just laughed, slapping my back again. “We’ve all been through it, Ragnar. It’s a rite of passage to becoming a man.”

After visiting a sixth tavern, where I didn’t partake in an alcoholic drink, Corvus suggested it was the right time to make our way to the ‘Scarlett Lady’, a well-known tavern in Cheydinhal that sold some of the best liquors in the Empire but also had a selection of beautiful women willing to keep you company for an evening, if the coin was right.

Most of our group left Corvus and I to it, wishing us goodbye as they would head on to another tavern, no doubt returning the guildhall later that evening very much worse for wear. We walked into the ‘Scarlett Lady’, pulling back the curtains that hid what was inside from view. It had all the appearances of a normal tavern, only the light was kept lower and it wasn’t as busy as most of the taverns we’d visited that evening. There was a bar at one end of the room, while there was a small stage where a woman was dancing in not very much.

We took a seat, a waitress approaching to take our order. “We’ll each have a brandy,” Corvus stated.

Once she disappeared, I asked, “Brandy?”

“Help calm any last minute nerves. Trust me.”

The brandy arrived rather quickly, and I took a moment to look at the waitress. She was wearing a tight fitting top and short skirt, showing off a pair of long, pale legs. She noticed me look and winked. I surprised myself by only smiling, not blushing. I knew what I was there to do, and the women were on display.

As we enjoyed our brandy, we were eventually approached by a mature woman. I knew she likely wasn’t one of the working girls, so was either the owner or at least looked after the girls. “Good evening, gentleman.”

“Evening.”

“I am Muriel. Are you here to drink or are you after some company?”

Corvus clamped a hand om my shoulder. “It’s Ragnar’s birthday and we’re here to celebrate.”

She looked at me and smiled. “Oh, and how old is the birthday boy?”

“Eighteen today,” I stated.

The smile broadened before she had a quiet chuckle. “I can imagine what you’re here for then. First time?” I nodded. I didn’t think it was embarrassing. “Okay, we can handle that. And you, sir?”

“I would like some company too,” he said. I looked at him with surprise. He wasn’t married, nor in a relationship, but I didn’t think… “If you’re going to be busy all night, I wouldn’t mind getting my dick wet too.”

“At least you’re honest.”

She appeared to wait until we’d finished our drinks, as one we placed the empty glasses on the small table in front of us, she approached and asked us to join her in an adjoining room. Inside were at least ten women, all of them lazing around in negligees or sheer nightdresses. There was skin on display though there was still an element of modesty. But they were all beautiful and I felt a rising in my groin.

"The choice is yours, gentleman. You have a choice of human or elven, depending on your taste.”

Corvus picked first, surprising me by picking a dark elf, otherwise known as Dunmer. I didn’t know a whole lot about them but she had a certain quality, I guess. Whatever the case, he asked her name and she quickly led him out and likely up the stairs to one of the bedrooms.

“And you, young man?” Muriel wondered.

I had my eyes only for the redhead. She smiled under my gaze, and that was when I felt heat rise in my cheeks. Muriel recognised who I was looking at and gestured for the others to leave for a moment. Once alone, she beckoned the redhead forward. “What was your name, young man?”

“Ragnar.”

“Ragnar, this is Ariel.”

I bowed slightly. “Pleasure.”

“Nice to meet you,” she said softly. Her voice was pure silk. It was probably a tone she’d perfected in her job, but it did the job regardless. “Would you like my company for the evening?” I nodded. “Have you been told the rules?”

I glanced at Muriel. “Your friend is a regular, Ragnar. He doesn’t need reminding. The rules are few, but if you break them, you will be broken in return. Understand?” I swallowed hard before nodding. “Do not abuse our girls. If you’re into the rough stuff, you’re in the wrong place. Once you’re upstairs, Ariel will tell you what she’s prepared to do and what she isn’t. Do not even think about forcing her to do something she doesn’t. If I hear about it, remember the warning. Now, as for payment, Corvus will take care of it. He’s already had a word in my ear about you.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“As long as you behave yourself, you will have a good time here tonight, Ragnar. Now, Ariel, why don’t you take our young man upstairs and show him a good time.”

She took me by the hand, amazed at how soft her skin was, and I was led through the other room up a set of stairs, past a number of doors before she stopped and opened one, entering a rather exquisite looking bedroom. A four poster bed, a number of chests and wardrobes, a pair of chairs and small table near the curtained windows. “You look impressed,” she said, closing and locking the door.

“I had no idea.”

I just stood in the middle of the room, probably looking rather stupid. Ariel approached me and probably noticed my hesitation. “Let me guess; first time?” I nodded. She immediately smiled, a sweet one that highlighted her green eyes. “Why did you pick me?”

“I like redheads and your bust is spectacular.”

That made her laugh. “Thank you for the honesty.” I shrugged again. “You’re certainly tall, Ragnar. How tall?”

“Around six foot. I’ve always been larger than most.”

“You certainly are,” she said quietly, running her soft hands up my arms and over my shoulders, helping take off my coat, throwing that onto the bed behind me. “Sure you’re only eighteen?”

“Fairly sure. I…” I didn’t know how much I should share. One, just in case it ruined the mood. And, two, how much would she really want to know about me really?

She smiled. “Never mind. We don’t have to share too many personal details.”

“Your name really Ariel?”

The smile broadened. “Figured that already eh?” I nodded. “Since you’re so cute, I’ll let you know. My name is Inga, but men don’t want to fuck Inga. No, Inga is a homebody, raising three children, constantly standing at the pit cooking dinner. No, men want to fuck Ariel.”

“You have three children?”

That made her laugh at me. I didn’t mind. It actually helped me relax while she unbuttoned my shirt. “No, I don’t have children, Ragnar. Just making a point.” She eventually helped take off my shirt, throwing that onto the bed too, and ran her hands up my chest. “Wow, you look after yourself. Those arms already…”

“I’ve been working for the guild since I was sixteen. Rarely take a day off. Probably why I’m a virgin, to be honest.”

“Compared to most men who come in, I’m not going to complain to the others tomorrow morning.”

That made me smile as she started to undo the buckle of my belt, before she unbuttoned my trousers. As I was only wearing shoes, slipping out of those wasn’t a problem as she helped dropped my trousers, stepping out of those and kicking those away. Standing in just my underwear, the tent in my underwear would have been easily recognisable. She stepped back to look me up and down. I tried to stand somewhat confidently. “Definitely won’t be complaining,” she muttered to herself.

I’ll admit, I was a virgin in many ways. I hadn’t lied about being so busy I rarely took a day off. So that meant I hadn’t even kissed someone before. When I say it out loud, it sounds rather pathetic, but I simply hadn’t worried about it. Sure, I had a libido, but I generally took care of myself when I needed it, then carried on with my day.

“Have you kissed a girl before?” That’s when I felt the first wave of embarrassment, shaking my head. She put a hand on my chest and pushed me back until I was sat on the bed. Even sitting down, she was barely taller than I was. I didn’t really know what to do with my hands, so she helped me, taking off her night dress, leaving her in just a bra and panties, placing my hands on her side. Soft, delicate skin at my fingertips. I know I had a big, dumb grin on my face as I ran my hands up her body, over her stomach, around on her arse, over her covered breasts. I watched her face at the same time. She seemed rather interested in my reaction.

Then she leaned down and laid a soft kiss on my lips. It was awkward at first. No first kiss is ever that great, but that was the first hurdle done. And I had no problem with her telling me what to do. I had an idea of what I was to do, but instructions are always good. Once I learned the idea of using my tongue, that was when I made her squeal in surprise as I pulled her close to me, feeling my cock harden completely as she tasted like wine and had a scent of flowers, no doubt a perfume.

Feeling a little confident, I tried to take her bra off as I kissed her, but I fumbled for a while before I felt her smile, our lips still joined, as she helped me take it off. Then she stood back so I could take them in. They were more than a handful, her nipples already hard, about the size of a coin. I think I licked my lips as she said, “Well, I know one part of my body that’s going to get attention later. But first…”

She offered her hand, helping me stand again, as she gestured for me to remove my underwear. Figuring that’s what I was there for, I had no problem dropping those to the ground too. “Holy shit!” she exclaimed.

“What?” I asked, suddenly worried at her tone.

“Ragnar, it’s… it’s…”

I looked down at my erection before looking at her. “What is it?”

She looked at me, an enormous grin. “It’s spectacular!” she stated, instantly wrapping her arms around me to kiss me again. I felt a hand snake between us, and I shuddered when her small hand wrapped around my shaft, taking a sharp breath through my teeth. “Excited?” I nodded. “Would you like me to suck your cock?” I nodded again. “I know you won’t last long, being your first time. And that’s okay, Ragnar. Don’t be ashamed if you cum really fast, okay?” I nodded a third time. “And you’ll probably surprise yourself when you do cum, so that’s okay too.”

I couldn’t help smile as she kissed me again before she lowered herself down, kissing down my chest and over my abs before she ran her tongue along my shaft. I nearly came there and then. I wanted to look down and watch this beautiful woman blow me, but if I did, I wouldn’t last thirty seconds. So I closed my eyes and just focused on what I could feel.

Feeling her lips wrap around my shaft, the heat of her breath on the head of my cock, I knew I wasn’t going to last long at all. I’d surprised myself by not coming yet. She removed her mouth for a second. “Run your hand through my hair,” she said quietly. I had to open my eyes for that, and couldn’t help smile as Ariel was on her knees, her eyes looking up into mine, watching my cock slowly disappear into her mouth. I ran a hand through her hair as instructed, and she made an approving sound.

I didn’t last long at all. She probably took about half my length, focusing on that, using her hand for the rest of my shaft. I groaned a few times and she knew my climax was imminent. I could see the question in her eyes and I nodded. She removed her mouth and stroked me, groaning rather loudly as I came on her breasts. I think I came quite a lot as she started to giggle. “By the Eight, Ragnar, when did you last cum?”

Incapable of doing anything except concentrate on standing, she allowed me to step back and collapse on the bed as she grabbed a towel to clean up. Once she’d done that, she hopped onto the bed to lie down beside me. “As you gain experience, you’ll meet women that will swallow your cum, or take a load on their face, or let you cum in various parts of their body. I generally don’t do it while at work.”

“You’re with someone?”

She shook her head. “No. But when I meet the right man, I’d do it for him.” That’s when she poked me. “Don’t get feelings, Ragnar. I’m a working girl, and while I will freely admit you’re clearly a very nice young man, you’re still a customer at the end of the day.”

“Why do you say…”

“Because you will have strong feelings for the first person you’re intimate with. It’s only natural.” Then she leaned down to kiss me. “But I’m still glad you chose me.” She gave me about ten minutes to recover, before she asked, “Would you like to lick my pussy? Before you worry, I’m completely clean, and haven’t been with anyone else today.”

I agreed immediately, and I took delight in removing her panties as she laid back, surprised to see her pussy was completely bald. “I thought…”

Another sweet smile as my inexperience showed again. “I keep it smooth as many men like it, and it’s just easier. But most women will have hair between their legs and above their sex. Just so you know, I am a natural redhead.”

Spreading her legs wide, she then gave me the rundown on female anatomy. I listened to her intently, as she was clearly more experienced and would know what she liked. I had no problem with listening to instruction. I did it all the time at work, and I could so while I learned how to please a woman too. After all, we’re only virgins once, and can only lose it once too.

Explaining what would help her feel good, she asked me to kiss her first, and I got more practice doing that. She told me to go easy with the tongue, and helped me learn what was good, though practice would always make perfect. She then mentioned her neck, and she seemed to like that, but I was eager to play with her breasts. That made her laugh as I took one in each hand, surprised at how soft they felt. When I licked and sucked at a nipple, she made an appreciative sound, and she suggested I give her pussy a rub. Doing that, I could feel she was wet, mentioning to me that’s what would happen when she felt good and what I was doing was working.

Though I think we both enjoyed my attention on her breasts, she asked me to kiss down her body to her pussy. She was slim but had some real curves, and her stomach was soft, enjoying just kissing her there, earning another giggle. Moving down to her pussy, that was where I was completely lost for a moment, but she gave me more instruction, telling me where to lick and what to listen out for.

Having never tasted pussy before, I have to say… It tasted bloody marvellous! Looking up after a minute or so, I said, “I’ll definitely do this again.”

“And women will love you for it, Ragnar,” she breathed, “Keep going.”

I had no idea what I was really doing, but I guess enthusiasm made up for inexperience, as I’m sure she was making sounds, and a few moans, that suggested what I was doing could be working. If I could make her orgasm? Shit, I’d strut out of the tavern like I was the bloody emperor!

"Put a couple of fingers inside me, Ragnar.” Doing that earned another moan. “Ysmir, that’s just your fingers,” she whispered, “Okay, make a ‘come hither’ motion with them. You’ll hit the right spot. While you’re doing that, focus on my clit,” she added, pointing to where her clit was.

Doing as instructed, she was soon enjoying what I was doing rather a lot, if I do say so myself. She would tell me if I was being too hard on her clit, asking me to go a little softer, but asked me to pump my fingers a little faster. She was soon writhing, and I held onto her with my left arm around her right leg. Her head was now rolled back, and she was moaning quite a lot. I wasn’t sure if women fake orgasms or not, but if she was faking, she was one hell of an actress.

“Harder on my clit, Ragnar. Keep doing what you’re doing!”

Ariel knew what she wanted, so I had my tongue on her clit, my fingers now pumping into her pussy, and I loved watching her body. Her scent alone was making me rock hard again, so I knew we’d be fucking soon enough. I found that thought very exciting, and I knew I probably wouldn’t last long.

When her body started to buck slightly, I had to ask, perhaps rather stupidly, if she was going to orgasm. “By Ysmir, Ragnar…” I think that was a yes, “Don’t stop. Please don’t stop. You’re going to…” Whatever she was going to say trailed off into a long moan.

Her orgasm, when it arrived, I found even more exciting than the thought of fucking her. She squeezed her thighs into me, so much so that I could barely keep pleasing her, and she eventually whispered for me to stop. Lifting my head and removing my fingers, I sucked on those and felt my cock throb as I can readily admit I loved the taste of pussy.

Sitting on my knees looking down at Ariel, she looked at me with a rather sweet smile, her body shuddering every so often. She beckoned for me to lie next to her, surprising me when she turned onto her side. “God’s help the women of Cyrodiil.”

“Why?”

“Because you just made me cum on your first time. Add to that, very few men go down on a woman. Oh, some woman is going to make you a keeper, Ragnar.” She leaned up to lay a soft kiss on my lips. “It’s my turn to thank you for that. You were very good, and you learned very quickly.”

I definitely blushed as I said thanks. That made her giggle at my reaction. She moved one of my arms so she could properly snuggle into my side, enough to make me state, “Well, this is rather intimate.”

“You’re staying the night, Ragnar. So despite who I am and who you are, you will be holding me tonight. Get used to it, and you should always do it with a woman you’ve been intimate with. Most women love being held by their man as they sleep.”

“I must sound so clueless.”

“You’re still a virgin… for the next ten minutes or so. Trust me, you’ve come to the right person to learn at least a few things.” She then met my eyes. “And I can say right now, you ever want to visit again…”

“What about those feelings you spoke of?”

She laughed. “As I said, you’re a nice, young man. And that cock you’re about to put inside me, I’ll definitely want again. I won’t fuck for free, but if you become a regular, I’ll have a chat with Muriel.”

It was actually nice just lying there with her naked. I definitely kept checking out her body. She had little feet. Her legs were gorgeous. Her arse was fantastic, soft yet firm at the same time. A strange sensation. She was soft all over. Her breasts were perfect. And her face was beautiful. It made me wonder why she was working in that sort of establishment. I wasn’t dumb enough to ask that sort of question.

Eventually her hand moved to my still rock hard cock, and she eventually positioned herself on her back again, gesturing for me to get on top of her. Spreading her legs, she suggested what we were about to do would eventually be natural, but she helped guide my cock into the right spot. Asking me to at least take it slow, that first feeling of sliding my cock into a hot, wet, tight pussy… It was a feeling I knew I would enjoy every time for the rest of my life. My face was obviously priceless as Ariel giggled, wrapping her arms around my neck and dragging me down to kiss her.

I took it slow inserting my entire length, and the look on her face suggested she loved it. Once I was all the way inside, I took a few moments to calm myself, as I didn’t want to cum again too quickly. That would have left me rather embarrassed. She gave me a couple of tips, and I was soon slowly thrusting into her, just getting used to it. Part of me wondered why the hell I’d taken so long to start fucking. The other part of me knew I’d want to do this every day if possible.

Somehow, I don’t really know how, I managed to last quite a while. Ariel eventually moved under me, and she gasped, stating I was even deeper as she wrapped a leg around me. “Fuck me,” she demanded albeit gently.

“I’ll probably…”

“If you do, you do. Fuck me. Trust me, Ragnar.”

So I started to what I thought was fucking her, which was thrusting harder and faster. It was what she wanted, as she lay back with a smile, occasionally kissing me, breathing deeply, moaning occasionally, repeating the demand to fuck her. I was starting to feel rather warm already, and I knew I wasn’t going to last too long. “Cum inside me. It’s okay.”

“But what about…”

“Potions. I’ll take one in the morning. Trust me, Ragnar, you’re cumming in me all night.”

That made me smile, which made her smile. And then I came. I groaned loudly. I’m sure they heard me downstairs. It was far better than my previous orgasm. It was the best orgasm of my life. I had to resist collapsing on top of her, holding myself by a forearm as her arms remained around my neck, leaning up to kiss my cheek. “There you are, Ragnar. Now you’re a man. How was it?”

“When can we do it again?”

She burst into laughter at my eager tone. “Give yourself a few minutes, young man. And I’ll need to clean up first.” I learned sex was a little bit messy as she needed a towel, not that it bothered me. It was my first time, and to be honest, I’m glad it was with Ariel. She was beautiful, had a good sense of humour, and seemed to be genuine in the fact she sort of liked me. I just had to remember that she was a working girl, and that we might like each other, but at the end of the night, I was but a customer. Still, I’d remember the night fondly…

We had a lot of sex the rest of the night as Ariel showed me number positions. Lying me down on my back, I loved watching her bounce up and down on my cock, particularly her breasts swaying as she did. Utterly mesmerising, and what made it better is that it helped her have another orgasm. Having a woman on her hands and knees was a position I enjoyed, and it felt like a slightly dominant position, as I could give her arse a gentle slap. Afterwards, she said some woman would like harder slap, or their hair gently pulled, and various other things. As she was smaller than myself, we event tried it standing up against a wall. That’s when she properly complimented me on my strength, as I found it rather easy to hold her up as I thrust into her. I definitely had an admirer as she certainly liked running her hands up and down my arms, back and chest.

It must have been early in the morning when we finally stopped, and Ariel hadn’t lied, happily snuggling against my body, politely insisting that I hold her. I quite happily did that, and for the first time of my life, fell asleep with a naked woman in my arms.

Waking the next morning, I woke up with an erection, poking her in the back. She woke up and started to laugh, and figured that we may as well have one last fuck. It was a lot softer and more sensual than all the fucking of the previous night, with plenty of kissing. Our faces barely inches apart, she said quietly, “And this is how you make love to someone you love, Ragnar. Okay?” I nodded. “I’m already jealous of whoever it is.”

“I have to find someone first.”

“Well, as I said, my door is always open if you’ve got the coin.”

“I’d like that.”

I think she tried to stop the smile being so broad. “So would I.”

I eventually finished inside her, and offered to bring her off, but she said that one was for me, as thank you for actually caring about hers the previous night. Getting dressed, I didn’t do so with a heavy heart. I took her warning seriously, so made sure I remembered that it was a business transaction. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t like her just for being a lovely young woman. She walked with my downstairs, where Corvus was already waiting for me with Muriel.

“Did you enjoy yourself, Ragnar?” Muriel asked.

“Did he enjoy himself! Look at his face!” Corvus exclaimed.

“Ariel was delightful company,” I stated.

“And he was the perfect gentleman,” Ariel added.

“Will we expect your return?” Muriel wondered.

“Definitely.” I think my reply was quite eager, as the three had a chuckle.

Corvus and I left, thanking Muriel, while I gave Ariel a soft kiss on her cheek, thanking her for a wonderful evening. She smiled and thanked me in return, and I definitely walked back to the guildhall with a spring in my step, to the amusement of Corvus, who practically laughed at me the entire way.

* * *

 

My first time lit the blue touch paper in regards to my sexual exploits around Cyrodiil. In addition to my continued work with the guild, I felt a surge in self-confidence. Having spent an entire evening being complimented, I figured I could use a little of that confidence and learn the art of picking up women. Sure, it blew up in my face quite often as I learned what to do, but slowly and surely, the confidence I carried myself with started to gain attention.

Having a well-known face around Cheydinhal, many of the local women already knew me, and knowing I was single, I soon found myself joining the occasional woman back at her place after an evening out. Remembering everything I’d learned with Ariel certainly helped, and the compliments I received about my physique, the size of my cock, and my continually improving talents as a lover, only helped my confidence surge even more.

I was careful not to mix business with pleasure too often in Cheydinhal. But as I was sent around Cyrodiil for work, I started to ensure I spent a few days in a town to meet more women. The first city I made a permanent lover was in Bruma, a woman by the name of Arnora. I met her in a tavern one evening, and once she seemed interested in me, getting an invite back to her place was rather easy. She was a little older than myself, I would have said around thirty, but she was fantastic fuck, leaving the next morning with an invite to join her any time I was in Bruma.

Chorrol proved to be a city of delights for someone such as myself. While I was ever more confident, I could still embarrass myself trying to impress or flirt with women, but most seemed to find it amusing and sweet, rather than amusing in a way that they laughed at me. I found myself in Chorrol often enough that I soon had at least three lovers there. A Cyrodilian by the name of Arriana, a beautiful, busty blonde who was a mix of sugar and spice in the bedroom. A Nord by the name of Vilena, a buxom brunette who was the first woman to introduce me to anal sex. And my first elf, an Altmer by the name of Earana, who put my back up to begin with, but after helping her with a personal issue, was suddenly sweet as pie and very eager to spread her legs for me.

I visited Chorrol a lot.

The Imperial City had always been off-limits for me, and Corvus had always ensured I didn’t get contracts there. But a job eventually crossed his desk that he wanted one of his best lieutenants to complete it, and that meant me, as I had now risen the ranks to effectively be his direct subordinate. I managed to make it into the city without a problem and complete the job. I’m not sure if anyone ever recognised me, but I think I’d probably changed enough over the past three years that it would have helped. The fact I now had a well-trimmed beard and washed at least one every couple of days, plus I was dressed in some fine armour, I would probably have been unrecognisable to those I’d use to run with in the Thieves Guild.

That made me feel a little more confident, and once the job was complete, I ended up in a tavern and picked up this lovely little Breton woman by the name of Aileen, no older than myself. I’ll be honest, she was probably the best fuck I’d had since Ariel, and we really liked each other. Though she knew I wasn’t a local, she insisted that her door would always be open whenever I was in the Imperial City. I suddenly had a reason to return.

Speaking of Ariel, I still visited her whenever I was in Cheydinhal, and she kept her word. I became a regular, and a word with Muriel meant I paid only half the price compared to the others. And if I was going to visit her of an evening, I would be her only customer that day. We grew rather close. No, we certainly were not falling in love, but we didn’t just fuck when I visited. We’d lie back and talk about things, and we learned pretty much everything we could about each other. Both of us were orphans. She was only a couple of years older than me. She was hoping to save money so she could open her own shop, as she liked to sow when she wasn’t working. I could only wish her well.

I spent at last three years working for Corvus in Cheydinhal. Every so often a job opportunity would come up to possibly run my own guild, but I had to be honest and admit it didn’t interest me. Guildmasters rarely completed contracts nor spent time on the road. Corvus didn’t mind, liking the fact I would remain loyal to him, and over the years, we became the closest of friends and I was his most reliable warrior.

Or, at least I was until everything blew up in my face and I had to depart rather quickly.

I was returning from Chorrol, having spent a couple of nights there completing another job while visiting Vilena. I was feeling rather tender in my groin region, though probably not as sore as her, as I had spent half the night in her arse. For some reason, she loved it, and I’d certainly loved to do it.

Approaching the gates of Cheydinhal, there was a crowd at the gates, and my hand moved to the hilt of my sword as the group moved in my directions. I counted at least twelve men, at least half of them wearing the uniform of the Imperial army, and all of them were armed.

“That’s him! That’s the one,” one of them yelled, and that was followed by more shouting.

I stopped a few metres from them, hand on the hilt of my sword though leaving it sheathed. They formed a line in front of me. “Are you Ragnar?” one of them asked.

“Who’s asking?”

“My name is Lucius Veranus. I am the husband of Arriana.”

Shit. I should have known…

“She’s married?” Of course she was. They all were. All of them. All of them except Ariel, my first. Even the sweet young Breton girl in the Imperial City was married, to a soldier of all people. I was a damned stupid fool, thinking with only his dick. “Look, I clearly didn’t know…”

“While we could accept one or two, Ragnar, you have fucked _all_ of our wives. Do you know how that makes us look? Like jokes. Pathetic little men, incapable of pleasing their wives. And all of them found pleasure in _you_. One man.”

My hand tightened around the hilt of my sword. “So what do you intend to do?”

“We agreed that we won’t kill you, Ragnar, not unless you give us reason to fight and kill you. But you can’t stay. Not in Cyrodiil. Not after what you’ve done to us.”

“So where the hell should I go?”

“You’re a Nord. Skyrim is north. Go there. Anywhere but here.”

“You’re seriously kicking me out of my home?”

“It’s either that or fight us all right now. Because, trust me on this, some of these men want your blood for what you’ve done. They admit that you probably didn’t know, but that doesn’t make you completely innocent. As I said, one or two, sure, it happens. But how many women do you need to fuck, Ragnar? By the Eight…”

I couldn’t fight them all. I had talent, and could have taken maybe three of them. But twelve and more was just a death sentence. “You obviously have coin, so you can make it to the border without a problem.” They threw a bag in my direction. “Those are the few things of yours. We’ve already spoken to your guildmaster. He spoke highly of you, and tried to speak your case, but we were not going to have it. So, you either go peacefully or you fight us all. But rest assured, we will know if you’re still in Cyrodiil, Ragnar. We have friend everywhere, and if anyone of us even hear a whisper that you’re still here, we will all arrive on your doorstep to deal with you. We can’t forgive and we won’t forget.”

As I said, I’m not a particularly smart man, but I’m not stupid. And I knew I couldn’t win here. “Very well. I guess I have no choice,” I stated, bending down to grab the backpack, “Never thought I’d be run out of my own home.”

“Take the north road to Bruma and head for the mountain pass. You will be watched until you cross the border. As I said, if you don’t do as we demand, there will be consequences.”

I knew the soldiers could call on all their friends, and I’d probably end up fighting an entire cohort of soldiers, so that wouldn’t be particularly sensible. “Skyrim it is then!”

It took me two days to reach the border, and I knew I was being watched. I know when I’ve got eyes on me. No doubt the husbands had called in favours of fellow soldiers and others who would be willing to assist. No doubt any reputation I once had in Cheydinhal and other cities across Cyrodiil was now in tatters. I could only hope the women I’d bedded were okay.

The weather turned as I followed the mountain road, and as the sun set on the third day, I had to take one last look back at Cyrodiil now below me. Bruma was in the near distance, while I was high enough to see the Imperial City in the distance. I never thought I would have left Cyrodiil in this manner, basically on the run from a group of jealous, angry husbands. I probably should have been more circumspect in my actions about bedding women.

Oh well, never mind. Despite the situation, I’ll admit to a little excitement at starting life anew in my homeland. I could only hope my life didn’t fall apart quite as badly.


	2. Begin Anew

Having escaped Cyrodiil, it took a couple of days to cross the mountains, thankful I had enough warm clothing to keep the worst of the cold at bay. Being a Nord, I was capable of withstanding cold naturally, but when the wind whipped up snow into my face, leaving me half blinded as I walked along, even my teeth would chatter as it cut straight through my coat.

The weather cleared as crested the mountain, and I had to stop and stare at the sight that unfolded before me. Skyrim. Home of the Nords. Did I weep at seeing my homeland? No. I’d never felt any major yearning to journey here. Cyrodiil had been my home since my birth. I’d grown up and was happy there. That didn’t mean I was too upset to make a new home for myself in Skyrim. I just had to figure out where and how. 

It took a few hours to descend the mountain, walking into a forested area, following the main road until I came to a junction. Looking left and right, the signpost suggested a town was only a couple of miles off to the right, by the name of Falkreath. A town or city meant an inn, food and drink, and a warm bed. So Falkreath it was. 

I’ll admit to being relieved that I still had my armour and weapons. I only wore light armour, mostly leather with steel plate in the important parts. My weapons were the best available, though. The Fighter’s Guild didn’t scrimp on armour and weapons, as without the best available, we’d have quickly run out of fighters. 

Left feeling rather glad I was young and fit, having spent three days crossing the border, light was dimming as I approached the outskirts of Falkreath, and I realised things were very different in Skyrim to Cyrodiil. Walking up to the main gates, the pair of guards standing there looking rather board gave me a curious glance but said nothing as I passed by. There wasn’t much to Falkreath on first appearance. At the end of the main road was what I guessed the be the lord’s hall. There were a few shops lined either side of the road, including a blacksmith. But, most importantly, there was an inn, a sign suggesting it was named ‘Dead Man’s Drink’. 

Walking inside, it was surprisingly empty except for a woman behind the bar and another sweeping the floor. She turned to me and smiled. “Shor's bones! A handsome man in Falkreath!” 

“Um, thanks.” 

Walking towards the bar, the woman was wiping it down with a cloth, noticing my approach and smiling. “I’m Valga. Welcome to Dead Man’s Drink. What can I get you?” 

“An ale, please.” 

As she poured me a tankard, I took a seat on one of the stools, dumping my bag on the floor. “I hear a faint accent in your voice, yet you’re clearly a Nord. Where are you from?” 

“Just crossed in from Cyrodiil.” 

“Oh, whatever for?” 

“Needed a change.” 

Placing a tankard in front of me, I handed over a couple coin and thanked her. “You’ve perhaps come at the wrong time, with the civil war and all.” 

“Civil war?” I couldn’t hide the surprise. I didn’t know a thing about it. 

Valga just scoffed. “Of course it wouldn’t be news in Cyrodiil. Ever heard of Ulfric Stormcloak?” I shook my head. “The White-Gold Concordat and the banning of Talos worship?” 

“No to the first question. Vaguely the second question.” 

“Well, the only thing I can suggest is that you watch yourself when on the open road. The Empire and Stormcloak both patrol, and sometimes don’t mind taking prisoners.” 

I took a room for the evening, dumping my bag on the single bed, and as the inn started to fill up for the evening, I found myself chatting with some of the locals. Most were either fellow Nords, but there were a few from Cyrodiil and even a Redguard, a woman by the name of Zaria who ran the local apothecary. As we chatted, I could feel an underlying tension between certain people, believing it was probably to do with the civil war. Some of the Nords were proud to tell me they backed the Stormcloak Rebellion, as it was called. I kept any opinion to myself, not that I had one, merely stating I’d just arrived and was wondering what to do. A local shopkeeper offered me a job, asking if I could head to the city of Riften for him to deliver a parcel. Smart enough to suggest payment was at the other end, I agreed, as it gave me something to do and a chance to earn coin. 

I slept alone that night, not that I minded, and it allowed me to make an early start the next morning. After breakfast, I asked for some directions, Valga stating signposts would point the way, and that it should take me about a day to walk there. I bought a couple of things for lunch and set off. 

The weather around Falkreath was rather gloomy, and it wasn’t until I crested a large hill, another town off to my left, that I found myself walking in sunshine, though it still wasn’t particularly warm. I passed a few merchants or fellow travellers, and most were polite enough to swap a cheerful ‘Hello!’ 

Following the signposts to Falkreath, I learned the names of other towns apparently within Skyrim, including Whiterun, Helgen, Ivarstead and Windhelm, which I had heard mentioned the night before as the home city of Ulfric Stormcloak. Sticking to the south road, I ended up on the southern side of what was signed as Lake Honrich. The southern gate into Riften was boarded up, which was a surprise, so I had to cross around to the other side, using the city walls as a guide. The area was rather beautiful, trees reaching for the sky, leaves the colour of red and orange. Scents fill my nostrils. It was remarkably peaceful. 

Sun was setting by the time I made the gates. I was tired, my feet hurt, and all I wanted to do was sit down for a drink. But two guards thought they’d try and shake me down first, crossing the spears they were holding to block my entrance. 

“See here, anyone wishing to enter has to pay the tax,” Tweedledum stated. 

“Yes. Anyone wishing to sample the delights of Riften must pay for the privilege,” Tweedledee added. 

“I’m surprised you know words longer than two syllables.” 

“What?” 

I sighed. “Look, I’ve just walked here all the way from Falkreath. My feet are sore. I’m tired and could do with a wash. All I want is a hot meal, a cold drink, and a warm bed. And I don’t appreciate being dicked around. So I’ll put it like this. Either get out of my way or I’ll put you both on the ground.” 

“Think you’re some sort of tough guy?” Tweedledum asked. 

“I don’t think I am. But I fought with the Fighter’s Guild of Cheydinhal for three years, so I know I could put a sword through you within five seconds, and your idiot friend there in the next three. Want to test if I’m bullshitting?” 

My hand was now at the hilt of my sword, ready to draw, and there must have been a look in my eye, as the pair of idiots shared a nervous glance and moved their spears out of the way. “You may enter,” one of them said meekly. 

“I see you shaking down anyone else…” I warned as they moved out of the way. 

My first impressions were not great. The smell was horrendous, noticing a dank river of water below that likely hadn’t been filtered years. Only the gods would know what rested in it. A lot of dead things, going by the smell. Otherwise Riften was rather drab, plenty of wooden buildings, and it was clearly not rich at all. I noticed a marketplace in the distance, though it was now deserted considering the time, and the streets were otherwise rather empty. 

There was an inn across a wooden bridge, so figuring I could make my delivery the next day, I headed for the inn, wandering inside to find it already quite busy. An Argonian was behind the bar, a female, though I’ll be honest, I found telling the difference between non-humans and elves to be quite difficult. After taking one of the available rooms and dumping my bag upstairs, I returned and took one of the spare tables. The other Argonian, the male and I assumed partner of the female, took my order of a meal and drink. Sitting back with my back against the wall, I gazed over the crowd, listening into some of the conversations. 

As it was rather busy, I was approached by a rather tall woman, who asked if she could sit with me. I gestured to the spare seat and she sat down. She introduced herself as Mjoll, and her accent was difficult to place. With long blonde hair and hazel eyes, I’ll admit the armour she wore hid whatever figure she did have. She asked what I was doing in Riften, and I admitted I’d only just arrived in Skyrim, and was delivering a package for someone. Other than that, I didn’t have any plans. 

“Careful while you’re in Riften. The Thieves Guild makes their home here.” 

I’ll admit my ears pricked up at the mention of them, though I tried to keep my face blank. “Are you sure?” I asked. 

“Aye, I am. See that woman over there?” she gestured with her head to a middle aged woman, hair as black as night and a face like thunder, surrounded by people I assumed were her children, “That’s Maven Black-Briar. She has this city in her pocket and the Thieves Guild at her back.” 

“Have you had run-ins with them?” 

“One or two. Never more than words. But I know who some of them are. They might deny it, but there’s no doubt in my mind who works for them.” 

“Thanks for the warning.” 

I did mean my thanks, but my mind was already wondering… I’d left the Thieves Guild in Cyrodiil primarily due to my own screw up. Almost being killed would make anyone reconsider their life. However, I was now older and wiser, and I’ll admit, I still thought like a thief at times, wandering through a crowd, thinking ‘I could swipe that coin purse without them noticing’ or look at a business and know they have valuables kept out in the open that I could easily take after a quick picking of a lock. But would I approach the Thieves Guild in Riften? Would I want to go down that road again? 

Let’s be honest. I wasn’t the most honourable of people around. Sure, I had worked with the Fighter’s Guild, but even while working with them, I did a few things I probably shouldn’t have been proud of. Particularly when it came to taking payment in pussy rather than coin. Then there was the fact I was fucking a variety of women, unbeknownst to me all of them being married. That was the reason I was in Skyrim anyway. 

Heading to bed later that night, I was toying with the idea… 

Dropping the package at Elgrim’s Elixirs the next morning, I found myself talking to a cute girl behind the counter who introduced herself as Ingun Black-Briar. I’m not sure if she was a dead ringer for her mother, but her voice was soft and captivating, and I couldn’t help flirting with her for a few minutes before the old woman she worked for cleared her throat, a not so subtle suggestion for me to piss off. She did ask if I was staying in Riften. I said I might have a reason to hang around a little longer. 

Keeping to myself, I wandered the streets of Riften, walking past a temple, which appeared to be for the worship of Mara. I couldn’t help snort, because if I worshipped anyone, it was Dibella. She was usually a god worshipped primarily by women, but I followed her doctrine regarding the more erotic delights one can experience. More than one woman I bedded in Cyrodiil worshipped Dibella, albeit in secret. 

The local lord’s residence was far more impressive than that I’d seen in Falkreath, walking past that and through the marketplace, where there were quite a number of stalls, shopkeepers yelling out plenty of information regarding their wares. I eventually leaned back against the wall of the inn and watched life drift by, wondering what I should do next. I must have been there for a good twenty minutes before I was joined by someone. 

“Never done an honest day's work in your life for all that coin you're carrying, eh, lad?” 

“Well, I don’t know about that. What makes you ask that question though?” 

“Well, let’s just say that you've got the coin, but you didn't earn a septim of it honestly. I can tell.” 

“That’s where you’re wrong, friend. The coin I have now I earned honestly with a Guild.” I gave him a sideways glance. “Let me guess, you’re with the Guild rumoured to operate in this city.” 

He glanced my way and smirk. “While I cannot admit to knowing what you’re talking about, you seem to know your stuff already.” 

“What you’re wearing is eerily familiar of my youth.” 

He nodded, seeming to understand. “Homeless?” 

“And an orphan too.” 

“What brings you to Riften then?” 

“Did a job as a favour for someone in Falkreath. I’ve just recently crossed into Skyrim from Cyrodiil. Looking for work now.” 

“I’ve got something for you if you’re interested?” I nodded. “I’ll put it simply. I've got a bit of an errand to perform, but I need an extra pair of hands. And in my line of work, extra hands are well-paid.” 

I always liked earning coin, so I took the job offer immediately. He told me what needed doing, and I almost laughed at the simplicity of the job. I told him that, and he chuckled, telling me not to be cocky, to just get the job done and we’d talk afterwards. It really was child’s play. Pick a lock, steal a ring, plant it on someone else. The lock was so simple; I could have done it blindfolded. Actually putting a ring in someone’s pocket was different to what I normally did, but the mark didn’t have a clue, and the whole plan went off without a hitch. 

My new friend introduced himself as Brynjolf, and he kept his word, handing me a small coin purse for a job well done, particularly as our mark was quickly approached by a trio of city guard, his pockets turned out, and he was eventually marched off to the cells. Standing with our backs against the wall again, he admitted with a sigh, “I’m just glad that went off without a hitch. About bloody time something went right for us.” 

“Something wrong?” 

He nodded. “I guess I can be honest if you used to run with the Guild. We’ve been having a run of bad luck, but I suppose that's just how it goes. But never mind that, you did the job and you did it well. Best of all, there's more where that came from. That is, if you think you can handle it.” 

“I’ve done this all before. What you just had me do was simple.” 

“If I may ask, why’d you leave?” 

“I was sixteen and a job went bad. Really bad. I was lucky to get away with my life, and it was then that I chose to take a different path.” 

“And now?” 

“Well, I can admit I’m not the most honourable of people. But I do believe in honour amongst thieves.” 

“Just what I wanted to hear, so I’ll give you some information, and you can do with it what you want. Below Riften is a section of tunnels called the Ratway. The Guild I represent makes its home in a place called the Ragged Flagon. Get there in one piece and we’ll see what happens.” 

He disappeared as I wandered the marketplace. I found myself talking to a rather annoyed woman called Grelka. With raven hair and brown eyes, she would have been quite attractive if she wasn’t so grumpy. I had a good look at her armour, and was surprised at the quality, but I didn’t have the coin to buy anything. That just pissed her off even more, and even my attempts at flirting went nowhere. I said I’d be back if I had the coin, but I don’t think she believed me. 

What I learned with the Thieves Guild back in Cyrodiil is that the homeless, the destitute and the downtrodden are usually associates. After giving a coin to one of the local homeless, I asked about the Ratway. She sized me up good and proper before telling me what to go. “Careful, stranger. All sorts of riff-raff call the Ratway home.” 

Figuring there was no point in delaying, I found the entrance to the Ratway, and making sure I had weapon in hand, I walked in. 

The first thing to overwhelm me was the smell. By the Eight, it was enough to make even me gag, and I’d traipsed through my fair share of shit over the years, walking through sewers as I worked for the Guild as a kid, or even for the Fighter’s Guild later on. I took a few deep breaths, trying to get used to it, before I moved on. 

The Ratway was home to the crazy, the foolish, the damn fucking insane. I didn’t want to kill them, as I’d seen and met plenty during my time in Cyrodiil. Generally, I tried to just knock them out, or at least leave them on the ground with a stern warning to not try it again. Most were smart enough to nod their acceptance. The last guy I met, though. He was fucking enormous, armed with a big cleaver, and he just wouldn’t see sense. Clearly insane, I had to cut him down, and I had to do it quick, as his cleaver came too close for comfort more than once. 

Walking into the Ragged Flagon, I was surprised at the lack of smell, particularly due to the pool of water around which the tavern was situated. I guess it wasn’t as stagnant as the water that ran through the middle of Riften itself. I noticed Brynjolf in the middle of a group of people, and stood back though eavesdropped on their conversation. He made it sound like I was some sort of saviour of their group. I’m not sure about that, but he seemed rather happy to see me, walking forward to shake my hand. 

“Well, colour me impressed, lad. I wasn't sure I'd ever see you again!” 

“Why? I made it pretty clear I was interested.” I thumbed behind me, adding, “And that lot out there wasn’t much trouble.” 

He barked a short laugh. “Reliable and headstrong? You're turning out to be quite the prize!” 

“I’m not sure about that, but I’m not inexperienced, that’s for sure.” 

He grabbed my arm and led me forward. “Let me introduce you around. Behind the bar is Vekel. Runs it, and once you’re confirmed, he’ll look after you. The blonde is Vex, our expert lockpicker. The bald egg is Delvin. He’ll hook you up with jobs. Our Redguard friend is Tonila. She’s our fence and will always do you a good price. And finally, that big lump of meat over there is Dirge. One rule about Dirge. Don’t fuck with Dirge.” 

I looked at Dirge, and as he was bigger than me, I took his advice to heart. “Now, it’s getting dark, and while it’s usually our best time to work, to be honest, pickings are thin here. However, if you haven’t a bed for the night, you can crash with us and you can do an initiation test for us tomorrow. Every potential recruit does it.” 

“Sure, no problem.” 

“Want a drink?” 

I certainly wanted a drink, and though the ale served to me left a lot to be desired, I sat at a table with Delvin, Vex and Brynjolf and listened as they discussed matters. Whether they trusted me or not, I’m not sure, but they had no problem discussing business. I kept my eyes on Vex, as she was very cute, with long blonde hair, blue eyes, and wearing armour that showed off her best assets. She noticed me looking and just folded her arms, trying to warn me off, though her eyes suggested she was returning the appraisal. 

Brynjolf suggested a little later that we should get a little shut eye, and before I could follow, Vex grabbed my forearm. “Be careful if you want to mix business with pleasure,” she said quietly. 

“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

She scoffed but said nothing else as I followed Brynjolf down a separate corridor, through a secret entrance, and into an enormous cistern. It was there that I was introduced to more members of the Guild, including a gorgeous brunette by the name of Sapphire, whose cold demeanour, quite frankly, made me even more interested in her. I was like that sometimes. 

Brynjolf went through a few of the rules, though suggested that I’d learn a lot more once I passed my initiation, but for now, I was welcome to a bed at least. Most of the others headed to bed rather quickly, so I decided to do the same thing, feeling a little disappointed that it was another night alone. I hadn’t gone more than three days without sex for a long time now, so this was my longest dry spell since I’d turned eighteen and that first night with Ariel. I tried not to dream of her as I drifted off. 

The next morning after breakfast, Brynjolf explained the test. I was to obtain protection money from businesses in Riften that were now refusing to honour their debts. I’d changed out of my armour the night before, so asked if I could at least be giving a coat with a hood to hide my face. “A thief takes pride in anonymity after all,” I said. 

“Right you are, Ragnar,” he replied, and he managed to find me what I wanted. Putting it on, he said my face was in darkness, and I should be safe. 

The first target was a man by the name of Bersi. He knew where I was from and was immediately uncooperative. Brynjolf had warned me that we did not kill people, but if sometimes we needed to rough people up to get them to behave. It only took a slap for him to hand over the money, promising he’d pay on time going forward. 

Next target, the Argonian lady who ran the inn. Word must have already spread, as it only took a subtle threat to deal with her. Did I feel a little bit of guilt? Perhaps, but I surprised even myself by being back in the mindset of working for the Guild. The only thing I needed to learn was if they operated by the same standards at the Guild in Cyrodiil. I’d have to ask some questions of my own. 

The last target was Haelga, and she already had the coin waiting for me, so word must have definitely spread. Her look of disdain amused me, and I was ready to depart until seeing the statue of Dibella nearby. “You worship her?” I wondered. 

“I do. What business of it is yours?” 

“None. It’s just unusual someone would openly have a statue of her on display. Even I know those who worship her are looked down upon for various reasons. I’ve heard of women run out of towns for openly worshipping her.” 

“Why do you even care?” Considering my lifestyle and who I worshipped, the amulet I wore shouldn’t be a surprise. But it certainly was to her, and I had to laugh as her demeanour completely changed. She held the amulet as I removed my hood. To be honest, I didn’t mind if she saw my face considering what I had in mind. “So, you worship her but you’re a thief?” 

“I’m not a thief. I’m just getting paid for some work.” A damned lie, but it didn’t matter. She was your typical Nord. Blonde, blue-eyed, busty. Bit of an attitude, which I liked. I preferred feisty to placid. No ring on her left hand, suggesting she was unmarried. Same as all the women from Cyrodiil… 

“It’s unusual a man would worship Dibella.” 

“She’s the Goddess of Love. Or certain other things that brings enjoyment to life.” 

“And if you weren’t in here extorting me, I might just be interested.” 

So I handed the money back. “I’ve got it covered. Don’t worry about it. Just make sure you pay your debts to the faction I’m representing, and you won’t have someone on your doorstep again. And next time, it might not be someone as generous as myself. Understand?” 

“I do. And you’re serious?” 

“Were you?” 

She handed the amulet back. “Tell you what. Are you ever in the Bee and Barb?” 

“Well, I’m rather new in town, but you might see me in there from time to time.” 

“If you’re serious about your Dibella worship…” 

“Want me to recite one of her prayers?” She shook her head. “Your name is Haelga?” She nodded. “I’m Ragnar.” 

“Well, despite the circumstances, it’s a pleasure, Ragnar.” 

“The pleasure is mine. So, the Bee and Barb? I’ll make sure I drop by sometime. Might buy you a drink.” 

I’ll admit, I walked out shaking my head, wondering what the hell just happened. I had more than enough coin to cover the paltry sum each mark owed, so returning to Brynjolf with coin in hand raised no questions. He was pleased I’d done it without too much violence and, more importantly, had sent a message. Well, maybe not entirely, but I had a feeling my subtle warning to Haelga would be enough too. 

“Lad, I’ll admit it, two tasks and you’ve completed both bloody well. Far as I’m concerned, you’ve more than proved yourself.” 

“And I’ll admit it that I prefer my coin purse bulging rather than empty.” 

That made him laugh, earning a clap on the back. “That’s the spirit! But, I’ll be honest, things have been rough around here for a long time. But that’s for me to worry about. If you keep doing these jobs, we’ll all be rolling in coin in no time.” 

Brynjolf wasted no time, leading me into the cistern again where I was introduced to the leader of the Guild, a man by the name of Mercer. Ever have a shiver up your spine from just a look at someone? I had that with Mercer. There was something about him that immediately had me worried, though maybe I was misreading the situation. Brynjolf spoke in glowing terms of myself. I don’t think Mercer was entirely convinced, but he agreed nonetheless. 

“One thing before we begin, Ragnar. I want to make it perfectly clear. If you play by the rules, you walk away rich. You break the rules and you lose your share. No debates, no discussions. You do what we say, when we say. Do I make myself clear?” 

“Crystal, boss. You won’t have any problem with me. I’ve worked with the Guild before.” 

“Really? Well, if you’re as good as Brynjolf thinks you are, and as good as you think you are, then I think we’ll put that to the test.” 

Brynjolf wasn’t happy. “Mercer, you’re not thinking of the Goldenglow job are you? Even Vex couldn’t get in.” 

Mercer turned on Brynjolf. “You claim this recruit possesses an aptitude for our line of work. If so, let him prove it. Goldenglow Estate is critically important to one of our largest clients. However, the owner has suddenly decided to take matters into his own hands, and shut us out. He needs to be taught a lesson.” 

“I’ll do it. Give me a few days to scope it out and make some preparations. But it’ll be done.” 

My confidence appeared to surprise Mercer, before he gave an approving nod, turned and walked away. Brynjolf led me back to the Flagon to fill me in on the details, announcing at the same time that I was now a member of the Thieves Guild. The first thing I did was grab armour from Tonila. It was similar to that I’d worn while working for the Guild in Cyrodiil. 

I didn’t remain in the Flagon all day though. Once it was dark, I headed to the Bee and Barb, taking the same seat as before. This time, I was looking for female company that would hopefully end my dry spell. Ingun walked in first, and once she met my eyes, I gestured to the empty chair across from me. I was pleased she moved immediately in my direction. 

“A pleasant surprise, Ragnar.” 

“Nice to see you again, Ingun. Elgrim keeping you busy?” 

I listened in as I gestured for two drinks, a couple of tankards quickly placed in front of us. If either of the Argonians recognised me as the one who’d been in for payment, they didn’t give it away. 

“What brought you to Riften?” Ingun asked as we started our second drink. 

“I really shouldn’t say. It’s a little embarrassing, and you’ll probably up and leave when I tell you.” 

“Oh.” She leaned forward, whispering, “Is it scandalous?” 

Learning forward myself, I whispered back, “Very.” 

“How scandalous?” 

“Well, let’s just say some jealous husbands ran me out of Cyrodiil.” She gasped, no doubt in shock. “I assure you, I didn’t know they were married.” 

“They? How many were you bedding?” 

“A few. My job took me around Cyrodiil, and let’s just say I had some lovers around.” 

I was surprised when she actually laughed. I honestly thought she would have been horrified, that helped calm me. “Well, I can see why,” she said softly. 

“Oh… Why?” 

She started to blush, so I figured she wanted to say something perhaps a little unladylike. “Would you like to come back to mine for a drink, Ragnar?” 

I couldn’t help smile. “That’s a rather forward invitation, Ingun.” 

“I don’t like beating around the bush. Are you interested?” 

“Very.” 

I stood up, offering my arm, and we departed rather quickly. She guided me towards the front door of their manor, whispering for me to be quiet, though she was fairly sure no-one should be home. Inside was rather dark, and I noticed her grab a bottle of something. Expecting to be escorted upstairs, we ended up heading down into what I thought would have been the basement. Her room was rather plain, though had a double bed at least. “I’m sure you have questions. Trust me, I’m down here as a form of punishment,” she said, taking a seat on the bed. I shut the door and joined her. 

Popping the cork of the bottle, she took a swig before handing it to me. It was wine, so I took a good mouthful. “Punishment?” I asked. 

“Because I won’t do what they want me to do. I like working for Elgrim and I want to learn how to become a master alchemist.” 

“And your mother doesn’t like that?” 

She scoffed. “Certainly not. She wants me to work alongside my brother in the ‘family business’. No thank you.” She took another swig of wine. “But enough about that. What about you, Ragnar?” 

“What would you like to know?” She wanted to know the important details, so I shared what I thought was, such as the fact I was an orphan, living in the Imperial City, worked as a thief, worked for the Fighter’s Guild, my journey to Skyrim and then how I ended up in Riften. I didn’t mention the Thieves Guild bit, just suggesting I’d look for work. “How long do you intend on staying?” 

I shrugged. “No idea. I’ll see what happens.” 

Reaching across to put the bottle on the small chest next to her bed, she turned towards me and wasted no time kissing me. I realised quite quickly she was rather eager, left thinking she was… desperate. That wasn’t always a bad thing, assuming it might have been a while. She certainly wasted little time trying to get my clothes off, so I returned the favour, sliding off her coat and blouse, leaving her bra and skirt. She had very nice skin, though her hands were a little rough, no doubt from dealing with all sort of chemicals, but I didn’t mind so much. 

Taking her bra off was easy, freeing a pair of rather perky breasts, nipples already rock hard in her excitement. My coat and shirt was already off, and her hands were exploring my body at the same time. Wanting to take charge, I lay her down on the bed, and fumbled with the buttons for her skirt, finally breaking our kiss to remove her boots and skirt, before I finally removed her panties, revealing a nice patch of dark hair, and it was clear she was very excited. 

Kicking off my boots first, I wasted little time lowering my face to her pussy, running a tongue up her slit, earning a gasp from just that, and she tasted divine. Pushing her legs slightly wider, I simply lapped at her cunt, using all my experience earned over the past couple of years to tease her, running one hand up her stomach so I could fondle her breasts at the same time. Parting her lips with my tongue, I teased and probed her entrance, swallowing whatever juices that flowed, and I just had to compliment her on the taste. 

Switching my right hand fondling her breasts for my left, I slid a couple of fingers from my right hand inside her, and that excited her even more. “So long,” she whispered. 

This wasn’t the time for questions, but it wasn’t something I could ask about later. Right now, I wanted her to cum. I was left thinking she needed it. With a couple of fingers inside her, just teasing her, occasionally touching that special spot everyone woman has, I switched my tongue to tease her clit at the same time. She was soon writhing on the bed, and I knew by instinct that she wasn’t going to last long. 

“Ragnar,” she breathed. 

I loved it when women breathed my name in such a manner. It meant I was definitely doing something right. It surprised me when she purposely spread her legs a little further, begging for my fingers to fuck her harder and faster. I was tempted to finish undressing and just slide my cock inside her, but that would be for later. So I did as she asked and now used all the tricks I knew regarding her clit. 

She near enough jolted off the bed before her back arched, and I knew she was now well on her way. My fingers were now fucking her hard, though my arm didn’t get sore. I’d done this often enough now that it would take hours for either my arm or jaw to get sore. More than once I’d eaten our one of my lovers all night, leaving them a sweating, quivering mess by the time I was done. 

“Oh, Ragnar!” she cried. If she was meaning for this triste to be in secret, I think it ended with that. Not that I cared, as all the body language suggested she was on the verge of a climax, and quite a good one. I felt her start to squeeze my fingers, and with one loud, long moan, she did have quite the orgasm, grabbing one of her pillows to cover her screams. I kept pumping and licking all the way through it, and wondered if she’d want to be keep going, but I eventually heard a whisper for me to stop. I did so and quite happily licked my fingers clean, sitting on my knees as I gazed down upon her naked body. That actually her start to blush, watching her chest rise and fall as she sucked in some deep breaths. 

“I would ask where you learned…” I just smiled and lowered myself down so I could give her a gentle kiss, feeling one of her hands run through my hair. “Well, whoever you did learn with, I should thank her.” 

“Been a while?” 

“Mother judges any man who even talks to me. It’s why…” She blushed again. “It’s why I was in such a hurry to get you here.” 

“Well, you’ll hear no complaints from me regarding that.” 

She took ten minutes to recover, sipping a little wine again, and then she sucked my cock. Like all the women I’m intimate with, she expressed surprise as it was uncovered, taking a few moments just to appreciate it. I’ve never actually measured it, but most of the women I’d been with in Cyrodiil suggested it was the largest they’d seen and had inside them, while Ingun with me right now was worried about it hurting her. I assured her I was always gentle the first time. 

“Oh, you’re fucking me regardless,” she stated before she attempted to swallow as much of my cock as possible. 

Having just eaten her out, I was already rather turned on, so my own orgasm wouldn’t be long in arriving. But ever since that first time with Ariel, my body had learned how to cope with certain things, and while I would always cum from a blowjob, it took a little longer for me to cum so I could at least enjoy it for a while. 

Ingun certainly seemed to like sucking my cock, proving very enthusiastic as her head bobbed up and down. She didn’t attempt to swallow the whole length, but what she did with her tongue was enough to drive me wild. Asking where I should finish, she just smiled at me and I assumed that meant it in her mouth. I’d been fooled once and ended up cumming on myself when she removed her mouth, so I asked for clarification. “I swallow,” Ingun stated, and that put my mind at ease. 

She took a blast in the mouth a couple of minutes later. No doubt anyone in the house would have heard me groan at the same time, giving me a chuckle once I’d finished in her mouth. “What?” she asked. 

“I just had a vision of your door bursting open while you were sucking my cock, about to take my load in your mouth.” 

Ingun moved up to straddle my groin, my rather flaccid cock not rising just yet. I had youth on my side, but I still needed a few minutes of recovery. She leaned down to kiss me, and was surprised when I did so. I said it was only a lingering taste, and if she was willing to swallow, I can handle the after taste. She said that was rather sweet. 

We made out for a while, and with her beautiful naked body on me, and the heat of her sex at my groin, it didn’t take long for me to get hard again. Once I was, Ingun simply sat up, lifted herself up a little, and slowly slid down my cock. It took her a little while to take my entire length, and I just watched her face explode with delight as more of my cock disappeared inside her. “By the Eight, Ragnar, it feels wonderful!” 

“And you’re wonderfully tight, Ingun.” 

Another blush, though it was joined by a rather sweet smile. Once she was bottomed out, she gyrated a few times, gasping quite loudly and she shuddered. “Well, that certainly hits the spot!” 

Resting my hands lightly on her hips, she quite happily started to bounce and grind a little, and I quickly moved one hand to her breasts. She leaned down rather quickly herself so I could finally get my mouth on one of her nipples, running one of her hands through my hair again. “You’re so big, Ragnar,” she whispered, “I’ve never had a cock like it before.” 

I wasn’t dumb enough to ask ‘How many cocks have you had?’ though I’m sure I wasn’t the only one to think that whenever a woman said it. Then again, I’d had my fair share of pussy, so thinking anything negative would be one hell of a double standard. I went with the mindset of we’re fucking now and enjoying it, and hopefully it happens again. 

Ingun was soon riding me hard and fast, her kisses hot and passionate, and with hands to either side of my body, she was now riding me in search of another orgasm. Lifting and bending my knees, I ran my hands up and down her back and started to thrust up into her, watching her face bloom with a gorgeous smile. “That’s it. Fuck me.” 

Her face hovered just above mine as I started to properly do as she’d asked, and the noises she started to make suggested she was about to cum again. I couldn’t help smile myself, and she knew why. “I thought it would hurt, but it’s wonderful...” 

“Glad you like it.” 

She certainly did, as when she started to squeeze my cock again, her orgasm imminent, I fucked her hard and fast, earning a rather delightful scream and quite the giggle, watching her face as she leaned down to kiss me hard as she started to cum. Her body writhed against mine, holding onto her as she shuddered from her feet to her shoulders. She surprised me by asking me to keep going, as she wanted me to cum too, and nowhere else but inside her. 

That wish was granted a couple of minutes later. Once I was done, she quite happily collapsed onto my chest, where we swapped a rather soft kiss before I wrapped my arms around her. “Well, I can see why you had so many lovers now,” she whispered. 

“You’re my first in Skyrim,” I admitted. 

She giggled. “Well, consider me honoured.” 

Once we’d recovered and cleaned up, we fucked again a little later, Ingun this time on her back, wanting nothing more than to be ‘fucked hard by your big dick, Ragnar.’ She got what she wanted, and considering she had worried about me hurting her to start off with, she absolutely loved it as I drove into her over and again, surprising me further by spreading her legs completely wide, holding then under her knees. We both made quite a lot of noise by then, and I’m sure whoever was upstairs would definitely have heard us. I figured I’d hear about it the next morning. 

Sharing a second orgasm, admittedly I came first and had to help Ingun to another climax with my fingers, we cleaned up and snuggled under the covers. As always, I happily held the woman I’d just been intimate with in my arms, and she asked if I’d like to do it again. I assured her I would, and I think that response made her happy. 

I woke up alone in the morning to see a note on the bedside table. It was from Ingun, letting me know she’d had a great time, but she had to go to work early. After dressing, any hope of sneaking out was ended when I had to pass through the dining room, and at the table sat Maven Black-Briar. 

“Shit,” I muttered, before I walked forward. “Good morning,” I stated cheerfully. 

“Enjoy yourself last night, young man?” 

“Your daughter was wonderful company, Miss Black-Briar.” 

“So you know who I am yet you still thought bedding my daughter was a good idea?” 

“She was just as willing as I was.” 

“I’ll warn you only the once, whoever you are. Come near my daughter again, or if I find you in this house again, not even tracking dogs will find your body. Understand?” 

“While I might understand your warning, what about what Ingun wants?” 

“I decide what Ingun wants, considering her head is in the clouds most of the time. Now, I suggest you piss off before I change my mind and deal with you now.” 

I’m not stupid and headed out without another word. Heading back to the Flagon, I ran into Brynjolf, who wondered where I’d been. When I freely confessed to who I’d bedded, the colour drained from his face. Delvin burst into laughter at the table nearby. “You fucked Ingun Black-Briar?” Brynjolf whispered. 

“I don’t see the big deal.” 

Brynjolf shook his head. “Maven is…” He trailed off and sighed. “You’ll find out soon enough. But I can assume she warned you off?” I nodded. “Heed that warning, Ragnar. Trust me on this.” 

“She’s a grown woman. She can decide…” 

“She’s a Black-Briar, Ragnar. And what Maven says goes. You won’t want to make this an issue. As I said, trust me.” He cleared his throat. “Right, now what about Goldenglow?” 

“You said Vex tried the job?” He nodded. “Well, I’ll see what she says, but do you think it’s a two-man job?” 

He shrugged. “It’s possible. If you want assistance, I don’t see a problem. It’s always good to have someone watching your back.” 

“What’s her skill?” 

“Lockpicking.” 

“I’m good with a pick, but I’m no master. If she’s that good, then that alone will be helpful.” 

“It’s up to you at the end of the day, Ragnar. But try not to take too long. There isn’t a time limit on the job, but the sooner it’s done, the happier the client.” 

I nodded my agreement. “Very well. I’ll get to work right away. Time to earn my place here.”


	3. In the Company of Thieves

Vex and I spent three days casing the Goldenglow estate, looking for any signs of weakness, learning patrol patterns, when there was a change in the guard, how many guards there were, were there any visitors, who they might be, anything and everything that would gain us an advantage and get us inside the building itself. 

In addition to the work, we actually spent time talking. She certainly kept her cards close, and prising anything out of her was like pulling teeth, but once she realised that I was honest about anything I told her, probably strange considering our line of work, she slowly but surely started to open up. “Don’t start getting any funny ideas, Ragnar. I’m in this job for the gold, not to make friends.” She then paused and looked me up and down. “However, I’m also a flesh and blood woman, and compared to most of the idiots who work for us, you appear to have some talent, and you’re rather handsome.” 

“Thanks.” 

“Don’t let it go to your head.” 

“But?” 

The shield cracked for a moment as she smiled. “Well, like any woman, I like to be fucked. Tell you what. We do this job clean, I might just be interested enough to give you what you clearly want.” 

“I don’t expect sex in… Actually, that’s a lie.” 

Now she properly laughed. “You’re serious?” 

Shrugging, I said, “I may have taken the opportunity for a good fuck session as payment for jobs while working for the Fighter’s Guild. Pissed off my old Guild Master when I returned with no coin but empty balls.” 

Returning to the Guild, Brynjolf showed interest in what we learned, Vex and I agreeing that we would hit Goldenglow the next evening. A good thief uses anything they can to their advantage, and darkness is a thief’s natural ally. 

The night before hitting Goldenglow, I headed up to the Bee and Barb for a good meal and a stiff drink. I’ll be honest in admitting it was due to a case of the nerves. The last big job I’d done in Cyrodiil ended with me critically injured and on death’s door. Vex and I knew what we would be walking into this time, but there was still lingering doubt in the back of my mind. 

Sitting at my already usual chair, I was joined by Haelga after I’d polished off my meal. She sat down without invitation, which didn’t bother me at all, gesturing for a couple of drinks for us. Once the tankards were placed down and my plate cleared away, I leaned forward a little. “I didn’t know if you’d ever approach me or not,” I admitted. 

“You left me rather intrigued, Ragnar. I’ve seen you wandering around town. Have you found yourself some work?” 

“I have. Keeps me occupied and out of trouble.” 

“Good to know.” She paused, before asking quietly, “And you weren’t leading me on about the Dibella worship?” 

I was surprised she moved onto that topic so quickly, so smiled as I said, “I’ll put it in words you’ll understand, Haelga. I love to fuck. And I love nothing better than bringing a woman to continuous orgasm.” 

She smiled in return. “It’s unusual to meet a man so blunt in his desires. So many beat around the bush or find themselves unable to speak about the subject, embarrassed about their natural desire for intimacy.” 

“And what do you desire, Haelga?” 

“A thick, hard cock filling all my holes.” 

“Play your cards right, and you might just get your wish.” 

“Not tonight?” she asked, pouting a little bit. 

“I have important work tomorrow, and while you would be a delightful distraction, I must be focused.” 

She surprised me by leaning across and kissing me. A soft kiss, but one that promised a lot more, running a hand down my cheek for good measure. “Well, I’ll just have to make do with my fingers tonight then,” she whispered. 

“You’re quite blunt yourself.” 

“My sexuality is nothing to be ashamed of.” 

“Absolutely. I like a woman who knows what she wants.” 

“Sure I can’t convince you?” 

“Part of me wants to. But good things come to those who wait, Haelga. But if you’re seriously interested in me, I can admit that interest is returned.” 

“Deadly serious.” 

We shared a couple of tankards, and we actually got to know each other a little bit. I was saddened to learn she was a widower, only married to her husband for a year before he passed. She’d been a widower for five years, and freely admitted to having bedded a number of men, though added many were only the once as she was still looking for the one to satisfy her cravings. Other than that, she happily ran the Bunkhouse, finding enjoyment in providing the working man with a safe place to eat, relax and sleep. I told her about most of my history, and figured as she’d been so honest, I was just as honest, including why I’d been run out of Cyrodiil. She found that rather amusing, but didn’t find the fact I had a harem of lovers unsurprising at all. 

Staying late enough for us to be kicked out when the bar closed for the night, I escorted her the short walk back to her front door. I think she was hoping I would change my mind, and while I wanted to go inside and fuck her brains out, I actually wanted to wait. So we shared quite the kiss on her doorstep, my hands wandering her body, particularly getting a nice feel of her arse. “I spend all day on my feet, Ragnar,” she whispered, “Toned arse and legs.” 

“Guess they’ll feel fantastic around my waist.” 

“Particularly if you’re in my arse.” She paused before asking, “Does that shock you?” 

“I’ve done it before, so no, it doesn’t.” 

“I love it, Ragnar. Almost as much as I love a big cock in my cunt.” She paused before asking, “Can I have a quick feel?” 

I nodded and she slid a hand down my trousers. Considering the topic of conversation most of the night and the kiss we just shared, I was nursing a semi, so she got a good indication of what I had between my legs. When her eyes met mine, I couldn’t help chuckle. “I think that should satisfy you, Haelga.” 

She kissed me hard, her hand still down my trousers. I eventually had her pressed against the door, and it was only through sheer willpower that I finally pulled away. “When, Ragnar?” she almost pleaded. 

“If I’m not busy, the night after tomorrow.” 

“Okay.” She kissed me again, a soft one that again promised more, before she opened the door, wished me goodnight, and disappeared. 

I’ll admit it. I liked her already. A woman who freely admitted that she loved to fuck without feeling ashamed? She was right up my alley. And I think she might have a few kinks worth exploring. 

Returning to the Flagon, the place was empty so I walked through to the cistern, to see only a couple of the other still awake. Vex was asleep, so no doubt she was relaxed about the next evening. I just headed to my own bed, kicked off my boots, undressed, jerked off (which I desperately needed to do!) and went to sleep. 

Vex and I stuck to the Flagon the next day, though we made sure that no alcohol was consumed. Brynjolf not so subtly suggested that my previous evening companion had been noted, but he didn’t make a big deal of it, simply warning me to be careful, considering she had been a mark. I assured him I wouldn’t mix business with pleasure. 

Waiting until night was starting to fall, Vex used the secret exit through the cistern and stuck to the shadows as we made our way to the front gate. It was only a twenty minute walk to the estate, though the sewer grate we needed required a quick swim across the lake. We made it there without being noticed and slid inside to find nothing but darkness. Vex knew a little magic, surprising considering she was a Nord, and summoned a flame spell to provide a little light, though we found a torch quickly enough so we could use that to make our way forward. 

Exiting the sewer, we were near the back entrance, and Vex got to work. She broke more than one pick, suggesting it was a tough bastard, but she eventually managed to get it open. Thankfully we knew the layout so took the lead, though we were both now armed. The rule was that the main target shouldn’t be harmed, but the mercenaries were fair game. 

Sneaking would always be the better option, but the hallways provided next to no cover, and we eventually had to get physical. Vex was diminutive, particularly compared to someone of my size, but she was bloody fast with her dual daggers. The noise drew the attention of other mercenaries, and we were soon working back to back. The narrow hallways worked to our advantage, and we managed to take down five of the mercenaries without taking too many wounds ourselves. 

“Shit, we’d better find Aringoth and get out of here,” she muttered. 

“Don’t forget we need to do the hives too.” 

“We’ll do that last.” 

Making our way upstairs, I took the lead and met the mercenaries waiting for us head on. The first one met my sword with barely a block returned. The second one was a little more talented, while Vex watched my back as a third tried to take me from behind. This was no time for a draw out battle, and I had no problem fighting dirty, putting a boot into his knee. That caused him to crumple and I put my sword through his throat. The fourth mercenary barely had any fight left in him, but I wasn’t about to let him run and get help, though I did feel maybe just a teeny tiny bit sorry for him as I ran a sword through his gut. 

Finding Aringoth cowering in his bedroom, it didn’t take much for him to come clean once he realised it was both Vex and I. He didn’t know me, but he knew Vex well enough. Crouching down near him, I said, “You know who sent us. You know who we work for. So I will ask only the once. Give us what we want, and we’ll leave you alive.” 

“You don’t work like that,” he muttered. 

I glanced back at Vex. “I don’t think Maven Black-Briar will care whether you live or die after this little stunt,” she stated. 

“Your choice, Aringoth. Give us the key and what we want, and we’ll at least give you the chance of escaping with your life.” 

He obviously didn’t want to die, and figured taking his chance afterwards was better than trying to fight both of us. His hand was shaking as he handed over the key, though he was incapable of giving any more information about who had set everything up. All I was left thinking is that he was more terrified of them than us. 

With a last suggestion for Aringoth to leave Riften, and do it quickly, lest Maven send others to deal with him instead, Vex and I headed downstairs. There were more mercenaries in the basement, and despite our pleas about what happened upstairs, they were idiots and decided to fight us. I wasn’t used to working without a shield, but found I could easily take on two at a time, the speed of my blade catching them unawares. Neither had a lot of talent, leaving me wondering what sort of mercenaries Aringoth had hired. Vex helped take out the third as I near enough took out my two at once. 

The safe wasn’t exactly a treasure trove, but we swiped the gold and picked up a piece of paper. I handed it to Vex, who I figured would know a little bit more, as I made sure I emptied the room, finding more gold a nearby chest. 

“What a fucking idiot!” she exclaimed. 

“What?” 

“Oh, Aringoth, what have you done?” she questioned herself before looking at me. “We’d better get back to Brynjolf. He’ll want to see this.” 

Thankfully we didn’t have to go back through the manor, finding a secret exit that took us back into the sewer and out the way we had arrived. Following the shore, we found a small bridge back to the mainland, helping hoist Vex up onto it before I managed to clamber up, and under the cover of darkness, clouds covering the moon, we quickly took care of the hives as requested before carefully making our way back to Riften. 

“Ragnar, wait,” Vex called once we were away from the major. I turned to look at her, just able to see her face in the darkness. “Thanks.” 

“For what?” 

“I’ll be honest. You kept me alive just then. If I’d done this job alone as originally intended, I’d be dead. Those mercs didn’t fuck around.” 

“No worries. Just doing my job.” 

“You’re good with a blade. You fought with the Fighter’s Guild, right?” 

“Aye.” 

“Look, as I said, I don’t mix business with pleasure, but I’ll admit, watching you fight was mesmerising, and it’s had me thinking since. About pleasure instead of business. But I’ll put it bluntly. I’m not fucking you in the Flagon or cistern. I think we can both admit it’s disgusting down there, and there’s also no privacy.” 

“The inn?” 

“I’d rather not go in there. Look, you’ve got my interest, but I’ll leave it at that for now.” 

“Okay. It’s always nice to know where I stand at least.” 

It didn’t take long to return to the Guild, using the secret entrance I’d been shown located in the graveyard, which was much quicker than heading through the Ratway each time, though I’d been warned by Brynjolf to only use it when it was dark. 

Everyone was asleep upon entering the cistern, so Vex and I agreed to have a quick nap and hand the information over the next morning. It had been a rather long day, so once I’d kicked off my boots, I collapsed back onto my bed and practically fell straight to sleep. 

* * *

“Aringoth sold Goldenglow? What's that idiot thinking? He has no idea the extent of Maven's fury when she's been cut out of a deal, but I'm certain he'll find out. If only the parchment had the buyer's name instead of this odd symbol. Any idea what that may be?” 

Vex and I swapped a glance and shrugged. “Never seen it before,” I replied. Vex added her own thoughts, none particularly helpful but rather amusing. 

“I'll check my sources and ask Mercer. Good job, the pair of you. You made a good team.” 

“Thanks,” we stated in unison. 

“No major jobs for the moment, either of you, but keep your ears open. There’s always the next big score.” 

Remembering the promise I’d made to Haelga, I hung around Riften the next couple of days. I didn’t go on a crime spree around Riften. There were a few rules I remembered while working for the Guild in Cyrodiil. One main rule was that you didn’t steal from the unfortunate and the poor. I wouldn’t say we were idealists, we were still thieves, but we would make sure those less fortunate than even us were taken care of. Those homeless you see wandering the streets generally have our protection. Fuck with one of them and you’d have the Guild on your tail. 

Taking my usual chair in the Bee and Barb the night I’d stated, it was no surprise Haelga wandered in a few minutes later, immediately taking the spare chair at my table. After ordering us a pair of drinks, we made polite conversation, but we both knew what we were there for. Just seeing her had me nursing a slowly growing erection. By the time we entered her bedroom, I’d probably already be rock hard. 

“Want to get out of here?” she asked once we finished the first tankard. 

I don’t think either of us had moved so fast in our lives. I’m sure plenty noticed, but I certainly didn’t care. Once inside her bunkhouse, she led me by the hand upstairs. The second floor was where those who resided in the bunkhouse slept, as I was led up another set of steps. “I call it the penthouse,” she explained. 

It was quite a nice room. A large window looked over Riften. The room was tastefully decorated, though there were hints of her Dibella worship in everything. The statue took pride of place on the mantelpiece. Closing the door, she slowly walked towards me, eventually resting her hands on my chest, looking up at me. She was a good four to five inches shorter than I was. 

“Have you been thinking about me?” she wondered. 

“I have.” 

“Good thoughts?” 

“Of course. If our kiss was a sign of things to come…” 

The first kiss that evening was a surprise, soft and tender though our hands were all over the other, pulling her tight to my body and growling into her mouth, causing her to break it and giggle. “My, you are strong, Ragnar,” she said softly, running her hands up my back and down my arms, “How old are you, if I may ask?” 

“Twenty-one.” That made her chuckle. “What?” 

“It’s been a long time since I made love to or fucked someone so young.” 

“Why, how… Ah, I know enough not to ask.” 

“I’m twenty-eight, Ragnar. You know I was married, and that was five years ago, so I’m obviously older. And most of the men I’ve been with since were actually older than me.” She surprised me by resting her head on my chest, cuddling into me. “I’m actually a little surprised.” 

“Why?” 

“Men your age generally don’t look at women like me.” 

“Well, those men are obviously idiots.” 

To prove how much I actually wanted to be there, I took the lead and spent a long time undressing her. Each piece of skin was touched by either fingers or my lips, ensuring I spent plenty of time kissing her regardless. She only wore a simple dress, and once I had her down to her bra and panties, she didn’t turn shy, instead wondering what I thought, the first hint of nerves. I just held her close again and kissed her, no doubt feeling my erection pressed against her. “What does that tell you?” 

I’ve never seen a woman drop to her knees as quickly as she did, her hands fumbling with my belt and trousers in her desperation to release my cock. Why she did that, I shrugged off my coat and shirt, throwing those away. Once she had my cock free, I managed to kick off my boots and everything else as she stroked my cock, and once I was naked, she wasted no time trying to swallow my length. Running a hand through her hair, she only looked up at me with those pretty eyes of hers, and I couldn’t help watch as she slowly but surely managed to swallow my length. 

Hand on heart, she was the best cocksucker I’d had up until that moment in my life. I’m not exactly sure what she was doing, but it felt awesome, and I knew I wasn’t going to last too long. I needed a distraction and I also wanted to return the favour. 

“I want to taste you too, Haelga.” 

My cock popped out of her mouth and she stood up, allowing me to remove her bra, revealing her breasts. They were around a handful, and I had large hands, so I knew I’d enjoy them. Helping remove her panties, I wasn’t surprised to see her pussy was bald, putting my nose to her groin and inhaling her scent. That just made her giggle. “Like it?” she wondered. I just licked my lips, earning another laugh, with a playful slap on the shoulder. 

Grabbing her hand, I laid back on the bed as she fell down on top of me, and we made out for a little while again. She eventually turned around and swallowed my cock without hesitation, so I ran my tongue along her slit, tasting her for the first time, before I started to tease her in return. That distracted her from her cocksucking just enough, so I knew I’d last just a little longer. 

But, as I said, she was brilliant, and despite my best efforts to please her at the same time, desperate to continuously taste her, I eventually had to stop as I found myself gently thrusting into her mouth. Though I couldn’t concentrate on eating her out, I could slip a couple of fingers inside her, and she certainly enjoyed that, fucking my fingers in return as she continued to suck my dick. 

She stopped only for a moment to say, “You’re going to finish in my mouth, Ragnar.” 

Like I was going to disagree to that. I gave her rather firm arse a good slap, which made her squeal as she blew me. I eventually had to remove my fingers, ensuring I enjoyed her taste, as I simply focused on what her mouth and tongue was doing to my cock. “Haelga,” I breathed. 

Grabbing her body, I soon started to thrust a little harder into her mouth. I felt her lips tighter around my cock, as if she knew what was going to happen. I groaned again as I felt my orgasm approach, doing my best not to just start fucking her face. She seemed to enjoy sucking my cock, and as it was only her first time doing it, I’d like her to do it again. 

“Haelga,” I said a little louder, and I’m sure my eruption into her mouth didn’t actually catch her by surprise. She took the load well, and didn’t spill a drop. By the Eight, I swear I must have felt six pumps into her mouth, but she was greedy for my cum, and happily swallowed the lot, feeling her start to immediately clean me up with her tongue. My cock was rather sensitive, but she couldn’t get enough. 

Resting back on the bed, she swung herself around, feeling the heat of her sex on my groin as she rested her head just above mine. “Well, I can say I’ll happily do that again, Ragnar.” 

“Like it?” 

“You must have a good diet. Most men don’t taste that good. I’ve spat out more often than I’ve swallowed.” I couldn’t help chuckle as she was nothing but honest. Running a hand down her cheek, she closed her eyes and smiled, running it up and through her hair, dragging her down for a soft kiss. “Well, I think it’s clear I really like you already, Ragnar. And you haven’t properly eaten my pussy yet.” 

“I think that situation needs to be rectified immediately. Want to sit on my face?” 

The smile that broadened across her face was incredibly sweet, and I think the suggestion made her day. Sliding down the bed so my entire body was flat, she walked on her knees until hovering above my face, teasing me by lowering her pussy to me before raising herself up. “Beg for it,” she said. 

“Please!” 

“How much do you want my pussy?” 

“Like you wouldn’t believe, Haelga.” 

“Do you want to fuck my pussy?” 

“Afterwards.” 

“And my arse?” 

“Definitely.” 

“Will you tie me up and dominate me?” 

That caused a moment of pause. “You’re serious?” 

“I just want to know what you’re capable of. So, would you be willing to do that?” 

“Honestly, Haelga, I’ll do anything you want… Bar a couple of things which I’d hope we both find disgusting.” 

That made her laugh as she lowered her pussy to my mouth. I think she was rather turned on, as although she was soaking wet, and I thoroughly enjoyed her taste, as I was left thinking she was going to climax rather quickly. I could watch her body as I ate her out, and I think she put on a slight show for me, running her hands up her soft stomach to her breasts, giving them a nice squeeze and pinching her nipples, looking down at me with eyes that spoke volumes about what I was doing to her. 

“You’re good,” she breathed. 

I would have said thanks, but I was concentrating on teasing her entrance as she started to grind on my face, covering my mouth and chin in her juices. She was definitely loving my attention to detail, but quickly asked for me to focus on her clit. Teasing her there, she grabbed my hands to hold her in place, suggesting she would fall off when she climaxed. Doing that kept her in place, and I forced her down on my mouth even more. 

“Someone’s eager.” 

I muffled something about wanting to make her cum on my face, but that only made her laugh, as she could barely understand me. By now she was just watching me, and my eyes were only for her, feeling her body continued to grind on my face. When her eyes closed and she shuddered, I knew she was getting close. I was now totally focused on her clit. 

“Harder… faster… Make it big…” 

Some women I’d been with couldn’t take that sort of treatment, being too sensitive. Maybe she was sensitive but could handle it, wanting the feelings that it gave her. Good news for me if I gave her good orgasms. Leaning down slightly, she grabbed a handful of my hair as I held onto her tight, listening to her breathing and moans, knowing she was getting closer. “So close,” she breathed, “Oh, Ragnar…” 

When she came, it was spectacular. She was very noisy. Her language was filthy, which I absolutely loved. Tell me what you’re really thinking. She flowed and I swallowed what she gave me, continuing to grind against my face as she near collapsed forward, only held in place by my strong hands, as she called them. 

Lifting herself off my face, she manoeuvred back down my body so we were face to face. She had a giggle, as no doubt my mouth, nose and chin were now soaking. I could feel my beard was rather wet, though that didn’t stop her kissing me. “Hmmm, I taste good, don’t I?” 

“I’ll want to taste you again and again.” 

Leaning down to my ear, she whispered, “I love my taste as well. I love putting a couple of fingers in my mouth after they’ve been in my cunt.” 

I couldn’t help chuckle at her honesty as I wrapped my arms around her, running a hand up and down her back. We took a few minutes to relax, though I was already rock hard again. She no doubt felt it, but no doubt wanted to wait at least a little while too. “Ragnar, a question.” 

“Hmmm.” 

“Will you be wanting other girls? I merely ask because you’ve been honest about your life before.” 

“And I’ll continue to be honest with you. I like variety.” 

“Okay. What about in the future?” 

I could only shrug before replying, “I’m not sure. I don’t think that far ahead. I think of the here and now, and maybe what I’ll be doing in a week.” I paused before asking, “Why do you ask?” 

She lifted her head to meet my eyes. “I’ll be honest already. I’ve found what I’ve been looking for in those other men.” I definitely blushed as she kissed me softly on the lips. “But I am not asking you to commit or anything like that. I think we should agree right now that as long as we’re honest, this will work going forward. We clearly like each other, and I know I’m going to love fucking you, and vice versa I hope, so as I said, honesty is important.” 

“I can agree to that,” I stated, before kissing her, “And I like you a lot already too.” 

She kissed me hard for that and rolled me over so I was on top of her, and I slid inside her with little ceremony. I took my time inserting my full length, but once I filled her, she placed her little feet on the small of my back and begged for me to fuck her. 

That’s what she got, and the headboard was soon banging against the wall, and she was screaming or moaning rather loudly. I’m fairly sure we would have woken the others downstairs, though as I was busy giving it to her, I didn’t really care about that. I just wanted to fuck her, cum inside her, and hope she’d cum too. 

Wrapping her arms around my neck, she begged for me to keep fucking her. “Your cock is marvellous, Ragnar.” 

“And your pussy is nothing but warm, wet and tight, Haelga.” That made her blush for a moment. I think it was just the fact I so readily complimented her. “What?” I wondered. 

“Most men are usually so quiet.” 

“I will always let you know what I think or feel. And your pussy, Haelga, is fantastic. I can’t wait to cum inside you.” 

“Oh gods!” she exclaimed, kissing me hard before dragging my head down beside hers. In that position, I could give her a proper pounding while listening to her breathing and moaning, feeling her shuffle her body slightly, moaning again. “So deep. So good,” she muttered. 

I growled something as I was now doing nothing but pumping into her. She suggested I was hitting the right spots, which pleased me, wrapping my arms up and under her body to her tight, she did the same around my back. We were both now bathed in sweat, her legs now as tight around me as possible. 

“Fuck me, Ragnar. Fuck me as hard as you can.” 

What did she think I was trying to do?! But I tried to fuck her even harder. I was now worried we’d break the bed, or smash the headboard through the wall. I lifted my head to look at her, and we kissed, one so passionate, it made me feel a little funny as I fucked her. 

“I’m close,” I whispered. 

“It’s okay. I want to feel you cum inside me, Ragnar. Please…” 

The desperation in her voice was actually rather sweet, so I just focused on her face as I felt my orgasm approach. I would have liked to hold it back for a while longer to ensure she climaxed too, but I honestly think she just wanted me to finish inside her. I warned her one last time, but all she did was shuffle a little more, tighten her legs around me, and told me to make her mine. 

I’m not sure what it was, but the orgasm I had while inside her was one of the best of my life to that point, probably to the equal of the very first one I had with Ariel all those years ago. I buried myself deep in her pussy as I blasted, my head on the pillow beside hers as I groaned and swore rather loudly, feeling hers legs tight around my waist, her arms around my back, holding her just as tight before I finally relaxed. 

“Holy shit!” I managed to state once I’d regained my senses. 

Lifting my head, Haelga had the broadest grin possible, running a hand down my cheek, enjoying the feel of my trimmed beard. “Definitely a keeper. You’re a stallion, Ragnar.” 

I was surprised I was still rather hard, and she made no motion to unwrap her legs as I lifted my body slightly. Looking down, we were bathed in sweat, nothing unusual in that, the moonlight causing it to glisten on her body. “You really find me attractive?” She sounded so unsure in that moment, it actually hurt my heart a little. Meeting her eyes again, she searched mine in return. “So many judge me, Ragnar, yet they know nothing about me. They call me names behind my back. I know they do.” 

Grabbing a towel, I slid out of her, lying down next to her on my side. She turned to face me as I wrapped an arm around her again, our legs in between each the other. “I’ve done things I’m not proud of Ragnar. I can admit that. Things I should probably be ashamed of. But I felt… forced into them. Not by men, if that’s what you’re thinking. More a case of ‘fuck you’ to certain people.” 

Lifting her chin with a finger, I smiled at her. “I’m not one to judge anyone, Haelga. I mean, I was run out Cyrodiil by a pack of jealous husbands for bedding their wives. As for anyone who judges you for your lifestyle, I have two words for you. Fuck them.” 

The look of worry on her face was immediately replaced by a smile. “Will you visit me often?” she asked eagerly. 

“Yes. I can’t promise all the time, because I might end up working around Skyrim…” 

“I know what you’re doing.” My face fell, and that just made her laugh. “I should sit here, judge and hate you for it. Make me one promise?” I nodded. “Don’t thieve from people in Riften. Most of us don’t have a lot. Do what you must, but as long as you don’t do it here, I’ll live and let live.” 

I grabbed both her hands, kissing them as I gave her my word. Being a Nord, giving ones’ word was a bond that shouldn’t be broken. I’d strive to keep my word to her. 

Being rather young, and still quite hard, all she needed to do was give me a gentle stroke and I was soon at full mast again, this time being rolled onto my back as she climbed on board. Suggesting she was going to climax rather quickly, I happily watch her bounce on my cock, delighted to hear all her compliments, and rather eager to return them. Her body was fantastic. Her breasts were delightful. Her stomach soft but flat. Her legs were long and toned, as was her pert little arse. Did I find her attractive? I could understand the question, everyone felt unsure about themselves at times, but she made me rock hard, and I knew I’d want to fuck her constantly. 

Her first climax wasn’t long in arriving, watching her shake and shudder and she continued to ride on through. Taking a deep breath and smiling, she simply bounced harder and faster, adamant she wanted another one. Quite frankly, she could ride my cock all night and have as many as she wanted. She was my Nord goddess. 

After a second orgasm, she finally had to lie down on my chest, and I think our passions for one another were finally sated for the evening. I felt no urge to cum again, and once I slid my cock out of her, it slowly deflated as she slid off me onto the bed, turning to face me. She enjoyed running a hand through my beard, her eyes searching mine in the moonlight through the window. I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, her head resting under my chin, and it didn’t take long for either of us to fall asleep. 

Waking the next morning, we enjoyed a little make out session, before she asked me to go, but only because she had to work. I didn’t mind, so quickly dressed as she threw on a dressing gown that barely covered her arse, but showed off those fantastic legs she had. Walking me as far as her bedroom door, we kissed a last time, holding her close to my body, and I think we were both thinking of having a last fuck, before she broke the kiss, placed to hands on my chest and said, “Go!” It was stated with a smile, so she was definitely thinking the same thing as me. 

Heading out into Riften, the sun was hidden by clouds, and it was a cool day. I found myself whistling away as I walked towards the secret entrance, checking I wasn’t noticed, before I climbed down to the cistern. Most people were already up and about, and I joined them for breakfast. 

“Where were you last night?” Cynric asked. 

“With a friend.” 

There were plenty of sniggers around the table. I ignored them as I chewed on a piece of bread. “Who, if I may ask?” Rune wondered. 

“Haelga.” 

“Fuck off!” Thrynn exclaimed, “She’s…” 

“Delightful company,” I stated, interrupting whatever he was going to say. I looked around the table, meeting the eyes of everyone, male and female alike. I guess I was already a little intimidating, as they all nodded silently. “Anyway, what I do with my free time is my business. And it will remain so as long as it doesn’t affect the Guild.” 

I finished breakfast and listened into the conversation, and the topic was simply one of how badly the Guild was doing. The job Vex and I had pulled certainly had tongue’s wagging, but while it had been a success, and gained the Guild (and ourselves) some gold, it was a drop in the ocean compared to the so-called glory days. I was left thinking the Guild had completely collapsed across Skyrim. 

Brynjolf came looking for me, and he appeared rather shocked at what he was about to tell me. Standing away from everyone else for privacy, he said, “I don’t believe this, but we’ve had contact from an old friend in Windhelm.” 

“Why do you look so surprised?” 

“Because we’ve had no allies outside of Riften for years. That’s how badly all this has gone. Look, Vex is currently occupied with another job, so I would like you to do this. You’ve made a name for yourself with the Goldenglow job, and Mercer wants you to make contact with this friend in Windhelm. Talk to Delvin, he has all the details you’ll need.” 

Delvin told me that I was to get in touch with a man named Torsten Cruel-Sea, who had once been a close ally of the Guild in Windhelm until their influence slowly ebbed away. He was surprised to receive a letter so quickly, though he put that down to Maven Black-Briar no doubt spreading word about the successful hit on Goldenglow. As for transport, the Guild kept no horses, so he suggested I travel by carriage. “Far safer than walking,” he admitted, “Even a carriage will take all day. And I’d suggest you wrap up warm. Windhelm is far to the north.” 

“When should I go?” 

“Immediately if you can. If we can start to spread influence in Ulfric’s capital…” 

“Let me grab a coat, a few supplies, and I’ll head out now.” 

“Good luck, Ragnar. And come back with good news for once.” 

Grabbing the coat I’d worn while crossing the mountains into Skyrim, I took a few lockpicks, as they would always come in handy, my sword and shield, just in case I found myself in a fight, and headed out. Thankfully there was a carriage waiting at the main gates, and after giving him a few coins, I climbed on board and we headed out. 

I can honestly say the Rift was a beautiful part of Skyrim. It felt incredibly peaceful, and almost cut off from the rest of Skyrim. We passed a number of small villages, the carriage driver keeping a running commentary of sights as we passed by. The further north we headed, the more the landscape changed, particularly as we passed through Eastmarch, and the natural hot springs that looked absolutely stunning. After a few hours, the weather cooled and though I was a Nord, even I needed to eventually throw on my coat. By the time we reached the outskirts of Windhelm, grass and trees had been replaced by a barren snowbound landscape, pure white snow as far as we could see. 

The carriage driver stopped at the end of the bridge leading over to Windhelm itself. It was now rather dark, the temperature having dropped even further, enough that I immediately headed straight for the first inn I could find. Not before I needed to step in to help a woman though… 

One thing I really hate is bullies, particularly two brutish, drunk bullies, who were intimidating a dark elf woman. They both towered over her, jabbing a finger in her direction. 

“You come here where you're not wanted, you eat our food, you pollute our city with your stink and you refuse to help the Stormcloaks.” 

“But we haven't taken a side because it's not our fight,” the woman retorted, obviously frustrated. I wondered how often she’d had this argument with locals. I knew nothing about Windhelm though. 

“Hey, maybe the reason these grey-skins don't help in the war is because they're Imperial spies!” the other man exclaimed. 

“Imperial spies? You can't be serious!” 

“Maybe we'll pay you a visit tonight, little spy. We got ways of finding out what you really are,” the first man threatened. 

I normally don’t get involved in such matters, but that’s where I stepped in, pushing the second man first, then the man who made the threat. “That’s enough, the pair of you.” 

I was pleased to stand taller than both of them, but they looked ready to start swinging, noticing their balled fists at their sides. “You some sort of dark elf lover?” the first asked. 

“I prefer them to ignorant fucks such as yourself.” 

Probably the wrong thing to say as the second man took a swing. But he was drunk, and I saw it coming, immediately stepping out of the way and putting a fist into his stomach. He fell to the ground, moaning about me hitting him, as the first man squared up to me. He was also drunk, but appeared to at least be clear minded enough not to telegraph a punch. “This is our city. Ours! Don't think I can take you?” 

I beckoned him forward, dodging his first two swings, before he threw a third that put him off balance. A couple of punches to the body had him down on one knee. “Apologise. Now!” I demanded. 

“Fuck you.” 

I put a knee into his face and put him on his back, His face now covered in blood, no doubt a broken nose, I picked him up by the collar. “I won’t ask again. Apologise to the lady right now.” 

He met my eyes, and though still drunk, I could see fear. I bet no-on had ever stood up to him before. He then looked to my right, his left. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled. 

“She didn’t hear you. Louder!” I said, balling my fist. 

“I’m sorry!” he cried. 

“Better. Now, piss off, the pair of you.” 

I stood back and gave the one still on his hands and knees a kick up the arse. He picked up his friend and the two staggered away, smart enough not to say anything as they disappeared. Turning back to the elven woman, she looked rather surprised by it all. “Never though a Nord would step in to defend someone like me.” She looked me up and down. “First time in Windhelm, I take it?” 

“Aye. Is everyone like that?” 

“Thankfully, no. But Rolff and Argrenor do like to get drunk and hurl abuse.” She smiled and held out a hand. “Suvaris Atheron. Pleasure.” 

“Ragnar. I’m actually here from Riften.” 

“And what brings you to Windhelm?” 

“Work, but it’s rather late, so I was just going to find a place to sleep.” 

“Try Candlehearth Hall. Come, I’ll escort you.” 

As we walked together, she told me a little of the problems the Dunmer were having. They had been invited into Windhelm after her people had fled their homeland, but they had been treated badly since arriving. They lived in what was basically a slum area, and apparently Ulfric did not lift a finger to at least try and alleviate some of their problems. It was rather depressing. I thought my people would be better than that. I thought all Nords at least had some sort of honour. Might sound funny saying that, considering I was a thief, but as I’d told Brynjolf, honour among thieves. 

Suvaris thanked me for stepping in to help her, suggesting that maybe they’d have a peaceful night for once. Leaving me to enter the inn alone, I quickly grabbed a spare room, had an ale and a meal, and asked a few questions about what was happening in Windhelm. Most spoke of the civil war taking place and the stalemate currently between the Stormcloaks and Empire. Asking after Torsten Cruel-Sea, I was given directions to his house, and I decided I’d go there first thing in the morning. 

I didn’t go to bed alone. While enjoying my second drink, I found myself talking to and eventually flirting with a rather attractive woman named Susanna. If I thought Haelga was rather upfront about what she liked, Susanna was something else entirely, quickly suggesting she found me rather handsome among other things. We must have talked no longer than half an hour before she invited herself up to my room, stating she just wanted a good hard fuck before going home. 

I was left wondering if she was a working girl once I’d emptied myself inside her and she immediately got up and dressed. Instead, all she did was kiss me, thank me for a good time, then headed out the door. I couldn’t help laugh to myself as I slowly drifted off to sleep.


	4. Friends and Rivals

It was bitterly cold the next morning. In addition to the wind, the snowfall was almost blinding, but at least that covered the icy ground underfoot. Despite the early hour and drop in temperature, Windhelm was already busy, walking past a market with merchants already busy selling their wares and produce, the blacksmith at his forge, the clang of his hammer on new steel. The city was alive. 

Knocking on the door of the Cruel-Sea residence, it was opened by a young man I knew not to be Torsten. So I asked after his father. Asked who was calling, I merely stated, “A friend.” 

Torsten appeared seconds later, motioning me away from the front door as he followed me. “I didn’t realise you would come so soon.” 

“The Guild is trying to get back on its feet. First impressions matter.” He nodded his understanding. “So, how can the Guild assist?” 

He asked me to wait, grabbing a coat from inside, and we walked back towards the inn I’d stayed in. Grabbing an early drink and heading upstairs, we sat at a table in the corner before he started to explain. “How long have you been with our friends?” 

“Not long.” 

“There was a time when the Guild stretched across Skyrim, always influential. But something has gone wrong, and slowly but surely, the Guild has ebbed away to its current position. But word about Goldenglow was spread far and wide, no doubt by Maven Black-Briar as a statement, and I thought I should send word.” 

“Delvin suggested you needed our help.” 

“Aye, I do,” he said sadly, “My daughter, Fjotli… She was…” 

“I understand,” I said softly. 

“I got the bastard who did it, but that’s not the whole story. Not at all. Not only did they kill her, they stole a silver locket from her body that meant everything to her, and means everything to her family. I want that back. Before I killed the bastard responsible, he gave me a name. Niranye. She runs a stall in the marketplace.” 

All this for a locket? There must be more. “Is that it?” 

“No, the locket is only a minor part. Because the Guild has lost so much influence, new groups have sprung up, trying to gain a foothold. There is a new group working around Windhelm, trying to spread across Skyrim. They call themselves the Summerset Shadows.” 

“Summerset? They’re elves?” 

Torsten shrugged. “It’s possible they originate from there, or they all themselves to invoke fear in Nords. But they do not operate with the honour of your Guild. They must be eliminated. Do that, and you will have a trusted friend in Windhelm again.” 

“Where are the Shadows based?” 

“That I don’t know. Maybe Niranye will be able to tell you.” 

“Anything else?” 

“No, that’s about it. But if you can get me that locket back, I would be forever grateful.” 

“I’ll do what I can.” 

He finished his tankard, nodded his head and departed. We wouldn’t speak until the contract was now complete. I took my time finishing my own tankard, considering it was rather early, and being sat in the corner and mostly ignored, I listened into conversations taking place around me, hoping to learn a few things. Apparently there was a series of murders taking place around Windhelm that nobody could solve. Pirate attacks had increased, apparently due to both the Stormcloaks and Empire being distracted by the civil war. And an alchemist who lived in the city was apparently at death’s door. 

All interesting to hear, but nothing I could currently assist with, and I headed out to the marketplace. Asking one of the guards who Niranye was, I was pointed in the direction of an Altmer, a real surprise to see a high elf in Windhelm, considering I’d learn of Ulfric’s disdain for the elven people, particularly after the Great War. 

Sometimes I could be subtle. Sometime I found being direct put people off more. Approaching her stall, I looked at her wares as she asked, “Help you with something?” 

I returned my easiest smile as I replied, “Yes, I’m here about Fjotli.” 

She might be a thief, but her act was embarrassing. All it took was for me to take the dagger from where I kept it hidden, laying it down, keeping a hand on its hilt. “Look, I don’t have time for bullshit, Niranye. So, I’m going to ask a couple of questions and you will answer them.” 

“What about the guards?”

“I can be rather believable when I want to be. And considering you’re an elf in a Nord city, who do you think they’ll believe?” I didn’t like playing that card 

She noticeably blanched at the threat, knowing what I said was true. I’d learned enough in my short time in Skyrim to know elves were rather disliked in the Empire due to the actions of the Thalmor, so I’d use that to my advantage if I could. She raised both hands defensively. “Okay, okay, let’s not do anything hasty.” 

“Look, I don’t like making threats, but I have been asked for help. A girl murdered, a father heartbroken, an heirloom stolen. Tell me what I need to know, and you probably won’t see me again.” 

I removed the dagger, hiding it again, but the fear remained on her face. She turned to another merchant and asked them to cover for her, asking me to them follow her home. Once inside, she offered me a seat at the table and started to explain. The Summerset Shadows name I already knew, but she gave me the name of their leader, Linwe. But that wasn’t all. 

“He's the worst of the lot. He steals valuables from the dead.” 

“So he murders his marks?” 

“No! Linwe prefers stealing from the deceased. Digs up the corpses, breaks into the Hall of the Dead. He even stole that locket right off that poor murdered girl's body... or what was left of it.” 

“Fjotli?” She nodded. “So how in oblivion did you get mixed up in all of this?” 

She sighed, shaking her head. “I used to fence for the Thieves Guild in Skyrim a long time ago. When Linwe moved into the area, he contacted me and said if I didn't fence for them, he'd kill me.” 

“Tell me where they are, and I’ll ensure he won’t be a problem.” 

“And you won’t kill me?” 

“No. You know that’s not how we operate. But we could use a fence in Windhelm in the future.” 

She nodded. “Linwe is holed up at a place called Uttering Hills Cave. He's got his entire Guild there, so be careful.” 

“What do you know about Fjotli?” 

She shrugged. “I don't know. Rumour has it that she was murdered, butchered by a madman. Torsten might think Linwe or myself are responsible for Fjotli's death, but I can assure you nothing could be further from the truth.” 

I nodded, stating I believed her, and she sighed with relief, perhaps thinking I’d do something if she admitted being involved. The last question I asked was in regards to direction, stating I head out the main gates, to right, then head into the mountains. I’d know I was close when I ran into guards. 

Figuring there was little point in delaying, I grabbed my weapons from the room I’d kept at the inn, and headed out. It was still bitterly cold, but the snow had stopped falling, the clouds parting and the sun was now out. It was quite bright, sunlight reflecting off the snowy landscape, and I soon found myself walking along an incline. Taking a couple of wrong turns, I finally found the right path towards the cave I wanted, though any idea of sneaking up ended as I stood out quite brightly against the white background. 

The first guard simply charged at me, a rather stupid tactic, I might add. I slammed my shield into him once he was within range, and cut up diagonally with my sword. He was dead before hitting the ground, needing to raise my shield as an arrow was fired at me. Now it was time for me to move quickly, but I moved with thought, eyes on the archer ahead. He fired two more arrows, managing to block both of them, before he dropped his bow and unsheathed a pair of daggers. He was fast, I’ll admit that, but I’d spent three years with the Fighter’s Guild, and have proven to be the best. Even Corvus had admitted that fact. 

Though I’d killed the two guards, I don’t believe I’d broken our code, as we were allowed to defend ourselves. And considering this was a rival Guild trying to cut in our action, we could justify violence. Slipping quietly inside the entrance, I let my eyes take a moment to adjust to the gloom before moving on. Two more guards were on patrol, and despite trying to be quiet, my footsteps attracted attention, and I had to take them both down. I didn’t kill either of them, but made sure they wouldn’t be a problem for me again. 

The cave had the remnants of what must have been an underground fort, as I wandered down a winding set of steps. Another was on patrol, who I managed to sneak up on, covering his mouth to render him unconscious. Their leader was not going to get the same treatment, trying the first door on the left, finding it empty except for supplies, but door number two revealed two people, both of them asleep. I crawled up to the first one, covered his mouth enough that he soon woke up, though didn’t struggle for too long before he passed out. I was tempted to kill him but figured the message was being received by those I was leaving alive. 

Finally, there was Linwe, still fast asleep. Taking the dagger from its hidden sheathe, I sat on the bed and put the tip under his chin. He woke up immediately, reaching for his weapon that I’d already moved. “Linwe?” I asked. He nodded. “You have something that doesn’t belong to you. Where is it?” 

“Fuck off.” 

I shook my head. “Wrong answer. Do you have the locket?” 

“Fuck you.” 

I sighed and rammed the dagger upwards. He choked for barely a couple of seconds before he died. Searching his body, I found no sign of the locket, but there was a chest at the end of his bed where I found gold, a few jewels, and a silver locket that I figured was what I wanted. 

Waking up the one in the other bed, I held the dagger to his throat. “Linwe is now dead. The two guards outside are dead. Your friends within the cave are alive, though two won’t do anything like this again. So you will have one and only warning. Leave Skyrim and return home. Do not come back. Got it?” He nodded. “Good.” 

I’d worked rather quickly, so that by the time I walked out of the cave, there was still plenty of light, and I made it back to Windhelm without a problem. Returning to the Cruel-Sea residence, only the wife appeared to be home, and she gave me directions to a farm on the other side of Windhelm. It was only a twenty-minute walk to the farm, amazed that anything could grow in such a barren, inhospitable region. Torsten was busy using a hoe on the frozen ground and appeared surprised. “You’re kidding?” he asked. 

I took the locket from my pocket and handed it over. “The man who stole it lies dead. It’s not usually how we work, but it was justice for that and other things.” 

“You have my thanks…” 

Holding out my hand, which he grasped, I said, “Ragnar. And it was a pleasure.” 

“Thank you, Ragnar. Rest assured, your order has an ally in Windhelm going forward. Hopefully your renewed presence will help us all get very rich.” 

“Just make sure you look after the little people too. They should not be forgotten.” 

He raised eyebrows before he whispered, “Teachings of the Grey Fox.” Nodding to himself, he added, “Those are words that we should all remember.” We shook hands again as I bid him farewell, returning to Windhelm, where I would relax until returning to Riften the next morning. I did drop by to visit Niranye, informing her of what happened. She was happy to hear that the Shadows would no longer bother her, and assured me that she would cooperate with the Thieves Guild once again. 

I wandered around Windhelm for a couple of hours, noticing certain aspects of the city, and the clear divide between the Nords to one area, and everyone else to the other. Finding myself wandering the slum, as that was the only word to describe, I wandered into a tavern and found a dozen pair of eyes immediately on me. “What do you want?” the barman asked, not particularly friendly. 

“Wait, Ambarys. He is a friend.” I glanced in the darkness to see Suvaris at a table by herself. 

Ambarys scoffed but said, “Very well, if you say so. But if he causes trouble…” 

“Just wanted a drink,” I said. 

Suvaris kicked out a chair at her table, a suggestion I should join her, and Ambarys did bring me a tankard of ale, though I’m sure he still wanted to tell me to piss off. 

Suvaris quietly apologised for the harsh welcome and she proved to be rather delightful company. She worked at a nearby farm for another Nord, who she said appeared to at least tolerate her people. “One of the few,” she added bitterly, before she looked at me and smiled, “You’re the first I’ve ever seen who stood up for us, particularly against one of their own.” 

“It was the right thing to do.” 

No doubt some of you are probably thinking I ended up fucking her. No, I didn’t. She was very pleasant company, and had a wicked sense of humour, leaving me in chuckles quite often. But we parted at the end of the evening with nothing more than a kiss on the cheek and good wishes for the future. Not every woman I helped dropped their panties for me. Only some… 

Returning to the inn, I headed straight for bed as I wanted to rise at dawn, asking the innkeeper to wake me immediately. Thankfully she did so, and there was a carriage waiting for me outside that took me all the way back to Riften within the day. 

Walking into the Flagon, Dirge ignored me as always, his eyes, if not watching the entrance, only for Vex. I’d learned that rather quickly, and Vex admitted to using that to her advantage, getting him to do pretty much whatever she wanted. Brynjolf was also aware, and had warned her more than once not to take advantage, which she tried hard not to ignore. 

Sitting down with Delvin, I told him what happened, and that we now had allies in Windhelm. “Well, happy bloody days. It’s about time something went right for us around here! You should go let Bryn know. He’ll be just as delighted.” 

So that’s what I did, and I was surprised when he actually embraced me. “Lad, do you know how long it’s been since we had a win like this? A new contact, a new fence… I knew I was right about you.” 

“Um, thanks.” 

He laughed at my reaction. “So what are your plans for tonight?” The question was asked with such insinuation; I know my jaw dropped. “Someone mentioned it, lad. And it’s not a problem.” 

“Yes, I’ll be off to see her shortly.” 

“Enjoy yourself tonight, lad. And hopefully I’ll have another job for you soon.” 

It was dark by the time I’d arrived back in Riften, so wasn’t sure if I was too late by the time I walked into the Bee and Barb. But Haelga was sat at my now usual table, and the broad grin suggested she had been hoping for me to arrive. I sat down with her but before I could order a drink, she asked if I wanted to leave straight away. 

We were in her room barely a couple of minutes later, our mouths locked together as my hands blindly undid the back of her dress. Once out of that, I easily undid her bra and dropped her panties as she kicked her boots off too. Her hands moved to my belt, and once that was undone and my trousers were down, she pulled me by my cock towards the table, where she turned around and bent over. 

“Seriously?” I wondered, unable to hold back my chuckle. 

“I’ve missed you, Ragnar. Just fuck me first.” 

Sliding inside her tight, warm pussy, I couldn’t help groan and she showed her appreciation too. Resting my cock inside her, I stopped and took off the rest of my clothes first, placing my hands on her hips and slowly thrust into her. She looked back and smiled, I think just enjoying the feeling of my cock inside her once again, and I didn’t up the tempo of my thrusts too much, taking my time and enjoying her just as much as she enjoyed me. 

Moving one of my hands to grab a handful of one of her breasts, I gave her nipple a tweak as I upped the tempo a little bit more, skin started to slap together, and she lowered herself, folding her arms and resting her head in a way so she could look back at me. “Enjoying it?” I asked. 

“I love your cock already, Ragnar. Are you going to fill me up?” 

“Give it a few minutes.” 

“I can’t wait.” 

I was going to cum no matter what I did, and while I wanted to give her a pounding, I did want to draw it out for a little while. While she did repeat ‘fuck me’ a few times, the smile that remained on her face suggested she liked exactly what I was doing. Moving my hand from her breast to her shoulder, I started to fuck her a little bit faster, and she knew that my climax was close. 

“Don’t worry about me for now. Just you, Ragnar,” she said, and I felt her squeeze my cock for emphasis. Moving my other to her shoulder, I was now properly fucking her, and she was loving it, crying out how big my cock felt inside her and how much she wanted to feel me cum inside her. Gods, I liked her a lot. 

When I finally did cum, it was the sort that makes one weak at the knees, driving into her again and again until I was spent, leaving my cock buried inside her as I leaned forward, resting my arms on the table as I kissed her cheek. “Miss me?” I whispered. 

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” she replied, turning her head to kiss me properly. Not happy with the angle, she pushed me back so she could sit on the table, making sure my slightly shrinking cock was inside her before we resumed our kiss, feeling her legs wrap around me at the same time. She finally stopped kissing and hugged me, resting her head against my chest. “Ragnar, I’m getting feelings already. I don’t want feelings. I just want to enjoy this.” 

“Well, try not to think about it too hard.” I lifted her chin to meet my eyes. “But there’s nothing wrong with feelings either.” 

She smiled. “Maybe I’m just falling in love with your cock?” That made me laugh, so she added, “I’ll go with that. Because, by the Eight, Ragnar, it is magnificent. A real gift, that I will happily admit that I’m glad it’s still inside me now.” 

Lifting her up, causing her to squeal with surprise, she complimented me on my strength as I carried her over to the bed, lying her down still inside her. I could feel my cock still softening, and I eventually rolled off her, looking down her body as she lay on her back. She was slightly pale, no doubt from working indoors most days. Her nipples were very pink and quite dark against her pale skin. Her pussy was still smooth, and I ran my hand down her body towards her sex. She smiled as she spread her legs again, throwing over mine, as I slowly started to fondle her. “My turn now, is it?” 

“I’d eat you out but I have just dropped a load inside you.” That made her burst into laughter as I added, “So I hope you don’t mind fingers.” 

“As long as they’re your fingers, Ragnar.” 

Being rather turned on as she was, I watched her face as I quickly had her approaching a climax. She watched mine in return, and she did that little thing with her mouth, her lips parting slightly as she moaned, and she was soon eager for me to kiss her once again. It was the sort of kiss that helped my cock near enough spring back to life but now the focus was only about her. 

“Rub my clit,” she breathed, “Just focus on that.” 

She wanted more of my lips, but I moved mine down to give one her nipples a suck and a nibble, hearing her squeal with laughter when I did that. I gave both nipples plenty of attention before moving up to her neck, and I figured a nice nibble at her soft skin would be fun too. “Oh, want to mark me, Ragnar?” 

I looked up with a raised eyebrow. “Would you like me to?” 

Her back arched for a moment, and I knew she was very excited, my hand now very wet as I continued to fondle her. “Mark me.” 

She had a nice little love bite a couple of minutes later, and she had quite the nice orgasm a couple of minutes after that, the sort of orgasm where she didn’t want me to touch her yet she was eager to hold me as she came down from her climax. She eventually asked me to hold her and I thoroughly enjoying running my hands up and down the soft skin on her back, eventually running one hand down to her arse, lifting her leg over mine. 

We lay like that for quite a while, feeling her hands run up and down my back and arms too. I eventually found myself on my back, Haelga straddling me and she enjoyed just running her hands all over my body. It was rather nice, and she seemed to enjoy it too. “Ragnar, how would you like to make love to me different?” 

“How?” 

“Well, you know I mentioned I love anal just as much, so would you be interested in that?” 

“Yes. Yes, I would.” 

She reached across to the small chest of drawers beside her bed. I had a glance as she opened it, as she grabbed a bottle of oil. I also saw various other things in there too. “Those might be for another night, Ragnar.” 

“I assume that’s the dildo you made for yourself?” 

“It is. But I think your cock in my arse will feel much better.” 

I shuffled back, using the pillows to hold my upper body up, as she started to suck my cock first. I didn’t think I’d cum too quickly, but I suggested she not do it for too long, just in case. I think she was rather eager too, though, so she soon had the top of the bottle off and coated my cock in oil. She then gave me the bottle and turned around, thrusting her pussy and arse in my face. My tongue immediately went to her tight little hole at the rear, and the gasp she made delighted me. “Oh, you like that, Ragnar?” 

“I’ll eat your arse whenever you want, Haelga,” I replied, giving one of her cheeks a good slap at the same time. 

I gave her arse plenty of attention with my tongue before finally pouring some oil and slid a finger in her arse. She didn’t want just one, immediately asking for a second one. That had her squirming though I didn’t pump into her too hard or fast, at least not too quickly. She was soon pushing backwards though, and asked for a third finger. “Stretch me out for your cock, Ragnar,” she breathed. I barely had three fingers in her for a few minutes before she reached back to remove them, swinging around again so she could straddle me. 

Wasting absolutely no time, she sat up and pressed my cock to her rear entrance, a smile on her face and eyes only for mine. I returned the smile but couldn’t help look down as she rubbed her cock against her little rear a few times before I felt the head of my cock slowly pop inside. That caused her to gasp, watching a little more of my cock disappear. It took her a while to accept my entire length, but once she had her arse nestled against me, the smile on her face was heart-warming and utterly genuine. 

“I thank Dibella for this gift,” she whispered, “Ragnar, this being our first time, leave me in control please.”

 “Okay.” 

I bent my legs a little and shuffled so I was sat up enough so kissing her was far easier and more comfortable as she slowly started to ride my cock. By the Eight, her arse was tight. My cock felt enormous inside her, left wondering what she thought. She was desperate for my lips again, though she found kissing constantly quite difficult, needing to stop to gasp and moan more often than not. 

I knew I wasn’t going to last forever, so I slid a hand down her front to again fondle her. She smiled and reached across to her drawer again, taking out the dildo. She sat up just enough and lean back so I could slide it into her pussy, and I helped fuck her with that as she bounced on my cock. 

“Ragnar,” she breathed. 

“Good?” 

“I love your cock, Ragnar. I love it. It’s the best. Gods, it’s so big and stretching me completely.” 

I didn’t quite understand that but if she was enjoying it, that could only be a good thing. And I can freely admit that I loved being in her arse almost as much as I loved being in her pussy. Having two of her holes filled, she was now making a lot of noise, and I was holding back the urge to start pumping into her. But I’d given my word. Plus, watching her ride my cock and using the dildo on her was quite a lot of fun. I’d never been in a threesome before, so watching a woman with two of her holes filled was a new experience. 

Haelga eventually started to ride me a little faster, which surprised me, as I was amazed it didn’t hurt her. Her face nor eyes showed no pain. Not one grimace. Only a constant smile, her eyes alive with desire, and I think a few other feelings she had for me. Leaning forward, she slowed down so she could kiss me, wrapping my arms around her as she changed to a grinding motion. Breaking the kiss, she rested her forehead against mine, breathing deeply. “Do you want to cum?” she asked quietly. 

“I will soon.” 

“As long as you can. I want to enjoy this feeling.” 

I kissed her again before she rested her head on my shoulder, bouncing again. I blindly used my hand to position the dildo so she could feel that going in and out of her too, and the sounds she made in my ear were a thing of beauty. Holding her in my arms, I could feel the sweat on her back. I figured the pillows behind me would also be wet. But she kept right on bouncing on my cock, still moaning in my ear. “Ragnar,” she breathed again, “Ragnar, I’m going to cum!” 

I kissed near her ear. “Cum for me then, Haelga.” 

“Oh, Dibella,” she cried, bouncing a little bit faster. She lasted another minute or so before she shuddered, her body writhing as she screamed out, bouncing even faster as I removed my arms, resting her hands on my shoulders as she rode me as hard and fast as possible. Head rolling back, she cried out again, and that’s when she had one of those whole body climaxes, tingling from her fingertips to her toes. I don’t know how she did it, but she right on bouncing until she just couldn’t continue, finally collapsing again my chest. I leaned back to relax, taking her with me. 

“Hold me,” she whispered. So that’s what I did, though she was still a little sensitive. We stayed like that for quite a while, listening to her breath deeply against me. Eventually lifting her head, she laid a soft kiss on my lips. “You haven’t finished?” I shook my head. “Do you want too?” I nodded. 

She got off my lap and lay down next to me, grabbing a couple of pillows to lift her arse high, and holding the dildo still in her pussy in place. She then spread her legs as wide and as far back as possible. “Use a little more oil, then fuck me.” 

Lubing up my cock, surprised that everything was still so clean, I slowly slid my cock back inside her arse. “I won’t last long,” I admitted. 

“Ragnar, you just gave me the best orgasm ever. So good I wanted to cry. Trust me, all I want you to do now is fuck my arse and cum in it.” 

I fucked her. I’ll admit that. But I didn’t do it as hard as she might have wanted, not that she made one complaint, just enjoying the feeling of my cock inside her. She managed to continue fucking herself with the dildo at the same time, which was a rather delightful distraction, and I think she was already looking forward to have another climax. 

Leaning down to kiss her, she wrapped her legs around me, not too tight, leaving those loose enough so I could fuck her. Dragging my head down next to her, she whispered. “Hard as you can, Ragnar. I can take it.” 

She got what she wanted, though it barely lasted a couple of minutes before I erupted inside her again. Groaning loudly, it was my turn to search for her mouth, kissing her hard as I thrust hard with each eruption inside her. Once I stilled, she tightened her legs around me to keep me in place, lifting my head so she could stroke my cheek again. “You’d like to do that again?” 

“Definitely,” I said quietly. 

“Good,” she said, kissing me softly again, “But I’ll want you in my pussy a lot more, just so you know.” 

That gave me a good chuckle as I sat up and slid out of her, grabbing a towel so we could clean up. My cock was now completely flaccid, and probably wouldn’t work again that night. Lying down beside her again, we pulled the blankets back and cuddled into each other, running a hand through her blonde hair as she looked at me, a near constant smile on her face. “Definite feelings,” she whispered. 

“Me too. Hard not to feel them.” 

“Can I ask a question?” I nodded. “I know you were away. Were you… you know…?” 

“Yes, I was. I promised never to lie to you, Haelga. I did enjoy some company in Windhelm.” 

She smiled and kissed me before saying, “Thank you.” 

“For what?” 

“For not lying to me. You could easily deny it.” 

“I like you far too much already to be doing that.” 

We kissed for a little longer, but there was no reaction from my groin region, and Haelga eventually fell asleep in my arms. I have to be honest, I liked many of the women I was intimate with in Cyrodiil, but I never loved any of them. I enjoyed their company, and I definitely enjoyed the sex, but the one I had the most feelings for were for Ariel, despite her warnings not to fall for her. It probably didn’t help that I visited her at least once a week. If I was in Cheydinhal with no work that took me across Cyrodiil, I’d visit her at least once every two or three days. I had similar feelings for Haelga, and knew that even if I did find enjoyment with others, I’d probably always return to her. Strange… 

The next morning after awaking up, and not having the chance the night before, I made sure I ate her out to an orgasm first, loving the feeling of her thighs clamping against my head as she climaxed. Then we made love. That’s the only way I can explain it. Our faces barely an inch or so apart. The constant exchange of kissing and sweet words. The feel of her little feet on my pack as I gently thrust into her. The feel of her hands running up my arms and resting on my back. The compliments of how good my cock felt inside her. Her joy when I finally came inside her again. 

She walked me downstairs a little later. The workers of the bunkhouse fell silent as we stopped at the door and we kissed a final time. There were one or two comments that we both ignored. “Will I see you again soon?” she asked quietly. 

“Absolutely. If I’m in the Bee and Barb, that means I’m here for the night. Otherwise, I’ll find you in there.” 

“Don’t make me wait too long.” With a last kiss, I wished her farewell and returned to the Thieves Guild. 

* * *

It was at least a week later when Brynjolf approached me as I sat with Delvin and Vex. Work was slow, though I had been sent back to Windhelm on an assignment, breaking and entering into the house to nab some important documents. I didn’t read them though I did help myself to the gold and a couple of gems in the safe at the same time. Considering the wealth on display around the house, I didn’t feel particularly guilty about it. That’s a lie, I rarely felt guilt. Proof I was a good thief, I guess.

Staying at the inn again, Susanna was there and once she laid eyes on me, I was assured another night of fun. This time she remained in my bed all night, and we were fucking again the next morning when the innkeeper opened the door, ready to tell me to get out. Instead, she called Susanna a whore, as apparently I definitely wasn’t the first man she’d entertained in the same room, while she simply told me to get dressed and get out. I ensured Susanna and I both came before we did that. 

“Was she lying?” I asked as I dressed. 

“Does it matter?” she retorted. 

“Not really. I’m just curious.” 

She shrugged. “I love to fuck. And with the gift you have, Ragnar, I wasn’t going to go looking for anyone else last night. Most men, and even a few women, get one shot at my pussy and nearly all of them are disappointing, so never get another chance.” I chuckled, shaking my head. “I’ll put it like this. Whenever you’re in Windhelm, you want a fuck, you just come find me.” 

“Good to know.” 

I must have been smiling to myself, as Delvin dug me in the ribs. “Thinking about Haelga again?” 

“No, someone else this time.” 

Brynjolf cracked up, banging the table with his palm. “By the Eight, man, who now?” 

I shrugged. “Just a girl I met in Windhelm. She’s a lot of fun.” 

Glancing at Vex, I was surprised to see she appeared more disappointed than anything. Considering I was left with the opinion that she was interested but not particularly willing to do much about it, I hadn’t given it much thought. Don’t get me wrong, a diminutive woman like her, I’d definitely have a good time with. 

“Anyway, something’s come up, Ragnar. Maven Black-Briar has asked for help from the Thieves Guild, and she’s asked for the person responsible for Goldenglow.” 

He knew about Ingun, so I had to ask, “Why not Vex?” 

“Because Vex has other things to do. And she’s asked specifically for you.” 

“Does she know I’m the one who… you know?” 

“I’m not sure.” 

“You know what?” Delvin wondered. 

“Our young friend here fucked Ingun Black-Briar… in her home…” Brynjolf stated. 

Delvin burst into laughter. “And you still have your cock and balls attached? The last man who was found in her bed was left black and blue the next day by a couple of her heavies.” 

“Maybe I made a better impression that a simple warning sufficed,” I suggested. 

“Well, no matter what, you’d best go meet her,” Brynjolf stated, “She’s at the Bee and Barb, expecting you at lunchtime.” 

I lay back on my bed in the cistern, reading a book and relaxing, figuring the job Maven was about to give me would probably lead me away from Riften, though one never knows. Brynjolf came in a couple of hours later, suggesting it was time I should head up. Not feeling completely assured of my safety, I did a couple of circuits around the Bee and Barb, looking for any sign of the ‘heavies’ Delvin had mentioned. But things looked clear, so I headed in and straight to the bar. Asking where Maven was, I was pointed in the direction of the stairs. 

She was sitting in a side room, and when she saw me, I’ll admit the look on her face nearly caused me to burst into laughter. “You!” 

“I thought you would have put two and two together, Miss Black-Briar.” 

“So you defile my daughter…” 

I crossed my arms and tried to look intimidating. “Look, _Maven_ , your daughter was the one who invited me back to your place. She was a very willing participant, and I mean _very_ willing. Would you like me to describe what she was willing to do with me?” Her eyes narrowed but she stayed silent. “Brynjolf said you have a job for me to do. So, what we can do is put what happened behind us, and perhaps even accept your daughter is an adult and more than capable of making her own decisions. But, more importantly, I’m the best at what I do. Whatever job you have, you want me to do it.” 

She smirked, and even appeared impressed by my bravado. “Is that confidence I hear, or arrogance? Strange how often they're confused.” 

I returned the smirk. “I’ll admit, probably a little bit of both. I’m arrogant to know how good I am, and I’m confident _because_ I know how good I am. Trust me, I’m going to be the one to put the Guild back on its feet.” I grabbed the available chair and sat down. “Now, if you’re worried about me being a problem, we’re after the same things here. I assume we both want to be rich, correct?” 

“I’m already rich. I want influence. Power. The jarl of this city is already in my pocket. I want everyone else to join her.” 

“Well, good for you. But if we’re working towards a common goal, how about we drop the antagonism between us?” 

She stared at me for a good minute in silence. Then she nodded. “Very well. Ragnar, right?” I returned the nod. “If we are going to be working together, I guess we should at least respect one another. But trust is earned, and in this business, it takes a lot to earn one’s trust. Understand?” 

“I do. What’s the job?” 

“I have a competitor called Honningbrew Meadery that I want to put out of business. I also want to know how they got the place up and running so quickly.” 

“Bit different to thievery, but so be it. Where do I begin?” 

“Head to the Bannered Mare in Whiterun and ask for Mallus Maccius. He'll fill you in on all the details.” 

“I’m new to Skyrim. Where’s Whiterun?” 

That made her laugh at me. I didn’t mind, as I immediately relaxed and she appeared to do so too. “Use the carriage outside the city gates. He should get you to Whiterun safe and sound.” 

“Anything else I need to know?” 

Her face darkened as she leaned forward. “You butcher this job and you'll be sorry. I’m throwing the Guild a bone with this job, Ragnar. You’d better not let me down,” she warned. 

“That meadery will be out of business by the end of the week.” 

“I’ll believe it when I hear it. You can go now.” Before I disappeared through the door, she called out my name. “I’ll give you something to ensure you don’t fuck this up, Ragnar. Complete the job, do it well, and I won’t complain if you wish to see my daughter again. She could certainly do a lot worse.” 

I couldn’t help smile. “Well, now I have a very good reason to make sure I do it right, Maven.” 

Heading back to the Guild, I told Brynjolf what I was to do and asked for any information about Whiterun and the meadery. About Whiterun, he could tell me plenty, suggesting it was actually a rather nice city to live in, but there was absolutely no Guild presence in the city, so if I ran into trouble, I’d be on my own. As for the meadery, he couldn’t tell me a lot, though knew the man running it, Sabjorn, was new to the business, but the popularity of Honningbrew did raise a few eyebrows. 

Suggesting I would leave early the next day, Brynjolf laughed as he knew where I was heading straight away. The Bee and Barb was full like usual, and I headed to my usual table, waiting for Haelga. She appeared an hour or so later, and after eating dinner together and enjoying a couple of drinks, we headed back to hers for the evening, where we would make love all night. She fell asleep in my arms, letting her know I would be gone a couple of days. She simply said she’d miss me while I was gone. 

I left for Whiterun the next morning.


	5. Enemies of the Guild

The journey took most of the day, though the sun was still up as I walked the path to the main gates. I received a couple of suspicious glances from the city guards posted either side of the gates, though I had covered my Guild armour, so they let me pass with only a couple of questions in regards to my intentions. 

It was certainly a pretty little city. Plenty of colour and character and a vibrancy of life that had been missing in Windhelm. It probably helped it wasn’t all grey stone and bitterly cold. There was a blacksmith immediately to my right, a woman working the forge. She looked my way and smiled. Guards strolled along without a care in the world. There was plenty of noise as the city felt alive. Walking up the main road, houses and businesses lined either side, ending up in a market square, with merchant stalls, just like Riften, but also more buildings that housed other business interests. 

My eyes were for the Bannered Mare. Walking inside, it was warm and welcoming, and I could smell the cooking of meat on a spit, my stomach rumbling immediately. Taking a seat at an available table, a rather cute Redguard woman approached, offering to take my order. I asked for a plate of meat and a tankard, both arriving rather quickly. “I’m hoping to meet someone. I think he’s a guest here,” I said. 

“Name?” 

“Goes by Mallus.” 

She gestured with her head. “He’s in room two.” 

“Thank you.” 

Listening into the music, I ate the meat and finished the tankard, attempting to listen into conversations as usual but the music meant I couldn’t hear much. There were a few pretty women who came and went, and I gave one or two more than appraising glance, though I kept my mind mostly focused on the job at hand, finally rising to my feet and knocking on the door. Hearing a call to enter, I walked in to find a Cyrodilian sitting at a table, nursing a tankard. 

It took him two seconds to figure out what I was there for, gesturing to the empty chair at his table, where he then wasted no time explaining what I needed to do. Poison the vats, take care of the pest problem, and ensure Sabjorn was immediately put of business. That didn’t bother me at all, but something in his tone suggested this was more than business as Maven described it. This was personal and he was honest when I said just that. 

“I made the mistake of borrowing coin from Sabjorn. He's allowing me to pay it back, but he's working my fingers to the bone! He treats me like a slave. I have to do every nasty, dirty job in the meadery.” 

“And what does Maven want?” 

“Maven and I worked out a little deal. If Sabjorn ends up in jail, she's going to take over his meadery. And guess who gets to run the Black-Briar Meadery in Whiterun? You're looking at him.” 

“Just like that? Does she have something on you too?” 

“No, but she will have my loyalty going forward.” 

Heading back out, I took a room for myself and joined in with the revelry. With plenty of attractive women around, I eventually found myself up on my feet in the crowd, my arms wrapped around a rather attractive Nord redhead, who introduced herself as Ysolda. While there was plenty of flirting, and maybe just a little bit of kissing as I held her close as we danced, there was no invite to return to her house, and I didn’t offer an invite back to my room either. However, before leaving for the evening, I’d made enough of an impression for her to hope she’d see me again. 

After enjoying a filling breakfast the next morning, I found myself walking along the main road towards the meadery, passing a patrol of Whiterun guards, who were rather friendly as they greeted me. I waited outside Honningbrew Meadery for at least an hour, standing by the nearby creek, skimming rocks across the water as I watched the door. Barely anyone came or went, though as it was still rather early, I figured drinkers might only arrive after lunchtime. 

Waiting until I figured it was noon, judging it by the position of the sun in the sky, I wandered into the meadery to find it deserted except for one man behind the bar, who I assumed was Sabjorn. He was a miserable bastard, though not entirely his fault I guess, but he did or said nothing to invoke sympathy. Guessing I was there to have a drink, he offered me the job of taking care of the pest problem. I asked how much he was paying, then demand he double that, and pay me half to start with, knowing I probably wouldn’t see the second portion of payment. With little options available, he begrudgingly agreed to my demand. 

“My only demand is that these vermin are permanently eliminated before my reputation is completely destroyed. I bought some poison. I was going to have my lazy, good-for-nothing assistant Mallus handle it, but he seems to have vanished. If you plant this in the vermin's nest, it should stop them from ever coming back.” 

Heading into the meadery itself, there were barrels full of bottles, most of them empty, ready to be filled. Heading down to the basement, there were plenty of traps already set, and that’s where I ran into the first skeevers. Ugly little bastards, but they die quick and easy, though you definitely don’t want to be bitten or scratched by one, as they carried all sorts of diseases. 

The basement led to tunnels far underneath the meadery, full of all sorts of vermin. The skeevers were relatively easy to deal with but the frostbite spiders gave me a moment of pause, immediately missing my bow. The good thing is, everyone on Tamriel is capable of magic, though Nords don’t like it. It’s something ingrained in our minds and souls, that magic is used by the weak… Which is why many look down on elves, who are master practitioners of the arcane arts. As for myself, I used magic rarely but, if it was the better option, I’d use it. I knew a few basic spells, mostly for healing but also fire. 

So I burned those spiders, flames erupting from both my palms. Once they were dead, I had an all over body shiver. I hate spiders. 

The tunnels were also full of traps to catch out the unwary, left wondering who had left them. Certainly not Mallus or Sabjorn. Neither had been this far down. So I moved forward carefully, sword back in hand as I found myself entering a large chamber. Being a thief, I am capable of sneaking despite my size, and as I neared the centre of the chamber, I noticed a man working at an alchemist lab. And as I crouched there in darkness, I heard the mutterings of an absolute lunatic. And it was clear he was responsible for the infestation. 

So I killed him. I don’t generally like sneaking up on people and doing the job, but I had an inkling he was gifted with magic as I listened to his insane ramblings, so taking his head from behind was probably best for both of us. Poisoning the skeever nest was easy, and I found a tunnel that led me back into the meadery, and even better, right near the vats. Climbing up a set of steps, I found a vat that was full of mead so dumped more rat poison in that too, hoping whoever would end up drinking it didn’t fall too ill. 

Satisfied with myself at a job well done, I wandered outside and back into the meadery, where Mallus had made an appearance, sitting at a table nearby. I glanced across the other side of the room to see a man in uniform at another table. “Is it done?” Sabjorn asked. 

“Aye. It’s done.” 

“Well it's about time!” he exclaimed through gritted teeth, “I had to stall the captain until you were finished.” 

Well, fuck you too, is what I thought. But I simply stepped back to watch whatever was about to unfold. The captain rose to his feet and approached the bar. “Well, Sabjorn. Now that you've taken care of your little pest problem, how about I get a taste of some of your mead?” 

Sabjorn was obviously polite to those above his station. “Help yourself, milord. It's my finest brew yet. I call it Honningbrew Reserve. I think you'll find it quite pleasing to your palate.” 

“Oh come now, this is mead, not some wine to be sipped and savoured.” 

Well, I don’t know about that. Some mead should be sipped and enjoyed by a fireplace, preferably with some lovely female company at the same time. Mallus was now standing beside me, glancing to see a smirk on his face, knowing what was about to happen. 

I’ll give the captain credit, he either had a strong stomach, or it took longer for the poison to work, because he polished off the whole tankard before he started to feel the effects. First was the dropping of the tankard as he started to feel queasy. “By the Eight?!/Shor's Bones! What... What's in this?” 

Sabjorn immediately glared at me, though his voice carried only worry. “I... I don't know. What's wrong?” 

The question was answered by the captain vomiting all over the floor. I looked away immediately, while Mallus watched on with amusement. Looking back at the captain, he wiped his mouth and jabbed a finger at Sabjorn. “You assured me this place was clean! I'll see... see to it that you remain in irons for the rest of your days.” 

“No, please! I don't understand...” Then he looked at me and appeared to understand. “It was him! It was them. They’re responsible for this!” 

The captain unsheathed his sword and staggered around the bar. “Silence, idiot! I should have known better, to trust this place after it's been riddled with filth.” 

“I beg you, please. This is not what it seems! I’m not responsible for this.” 

The captain grabbed Sajborn by the collar and dragged him out from behind the bar, and pushed him towards the door. He then looked in our direction. “You there,” he said, pointing at Mallus, You're in charge here until I can sort this all out.” 

“As you wish, captain.” 

He grabbed Sabjorn by the collar again. “And you! You're coming with me to Dragonsreach. We'll see how quickly your memory clears in the city's prisons. Now move.” 

Sabjorn tried arguing, but I think the captain was ready to put the sword through him if he continued arguing. Realising his defeat, shoulders slumped, Sabjorn allowed himself to be pushed out the door, the captain slamming it as he left. Mallus turned to me and offered a hand. “Job well done, I think. And with me in charge here, Maven will have Black-Briar meadery being dispensed as soon as I can get a batch bottled up. And as for the Guild, I’ll be the perfect fence in the area.” 

“Though Sabjorn is out of the way, I need to find out who was backing all this. There’s no way he could have funded this operation alone.” 

Mallus gestured with his head. “His office and private quarters are upstairs. Take a look around, and anything within is yours if you want it.” 

Sabjorn’s office was a treasure trove. Not only did I find a letter from Maven to Sabjorn, where the threat was implied though was intrigued to read she offered to buy him out, suggesting she was rather rich. But it was the second latter that peaked my curiosity and I knew I’d have to take it back to Brynjolf. The same symbol as the letter we took from Goldenglow. And the undertone of the message suggested whoever it was had a real axe to grind with Maven Black-Briar, and by association, the Thieves Guild. “Shit, this is getting serious,” I muttered. There was gold, jewellery and gems to take too, as well as this beautiful decanter that I just had to steal. Delvin had spoken of exquisite items that would have greater value than normal. I figured I’d show him that and see what he gave me for it. 

Mallus thanked me again as I left, handing me a small bag of gold that I didn’t really need, though he insisted I’d earned it. Wishing him good luck taking ownership, I happily headed back to Whiterun, my pockets now bulging. Not wanting to head straight to the Bannered Mare, I noticed a sign for the Drunken Huntsman, and figuring that was a tavern, I headed in. Unlike the Bannered Mare, it was rather quiet, so I grabbed a tankard and took a seat next to the only other person inside, a Dunmer. She was rather surprised to see me take a seat, but after politely introducing myself, she returned the introduction, calling herself Jenassa. 

We had a good chat. I didn’t tell her what I did for a living, suggesting I had worked as a mercenary and was now between jobs, though I wasn’t poor. She admitted to working as mercenary for hire. Unfortunately for her, pickings were slim as most approached the Companions for help. 

“The who?” 

She had a good chuckle. “You’ve never heard of them?” I shook my head. “They’re the only sort of Fighter’s Guild you’ll find in Skyrim. They base themselves up in Jorrvaskr.” She looked me up and down. “You should perhaps approach them. You look solid enough to handle yourself.” 

“Why don’t you?” 

She drained her tankard. “I work alone,” she eventually muttered. 

We had a couple more tankards, and both became a little flirtier with each other. Her features softened the longer we talked, certainly smiling a lot more, and I started to appreciate her physical features. She was very fit, her legs long and toned, particularly as her skirt was very short and my eyes definitely spent time looking at them… which she noticed too. 

Leaning closer to each other as we talked quietly, she finally asked, “Where are you staying tonight?” 

“I was just going to book a room at the Bannered Mare again.” 

“Or you could stay at my place…” 

I couldn’t help the slight chuckle. “Rather forward of you, Jenassa.” 

“Are you saying no?” 

“Definitely not.” 

“How long are you in Whiterun for?” 

“Only tonight. I return home tomorrow.” 

“Well, even better then. Stay with me tonight, fuck my brains out, then you can go home with a smile on your face.” I met her eyes to see she was absolutely serious. “So, would you like to join me?” 

We’d been in the tavern longer than I thought, as it was dark by the time we walked outside. She took me by the hand and escorted me to her house. It was rather small, though she explained she didn’t need much space. There was a fireplace, a double bed, small table and chairs and a few chests where her possessions would be kept. 

Once she locked the door, she practically leapt on me. She was only a couple of inches shorter, and we wasted no time undressing each other as our mouths met. I was eager to get her naked and see her body, hoping it matched my expectations. It did. Her breasts were small but she was fucking fit. A toned stomach and her legs without the skirt and her boots hiding them were perfect. Reaching around, I felt her arse too and gave that a good squeeze. “You like?” 

“Oh, I definitely like,” I replied. 

My clothes disappeared rather quickly too, and once she had my cock free, I received the usual response. “Oh my, now _that_ is a gift, Ragnar.” 

And Jenassa wasn’t lying about fucking her brains out, leading me to the bed where she lay down and spread her legs. I at least had a good taste of her Dunmer pussy, letting her know I liked her taste, but she practically ordered me to slam my cock into her. That gave me a good chuckle… then I gave her what she wanted. I put my hands under her knees, pushing her legs back and wide, as I positioned my cock at her entrance. I slipped just the head of my cock inside her pussy and stopped. “You sure?” 

“I haven’t been fucked in a while, Ragnar. Trust me, that’s all I want. This is about fucking, not love.” 

“Oh, I like you already. If I’m in Whiterun again…” 

I’m not sure if fit women have tighter pussies or not. I don’t know the human body that well. But by the Eight did Jenassa have a sweet and tight little pussy. I may have complimented her quite a bit about it. She, in return, showed plenty of affection for the size of my cock, particularly once I had it slamming into her. She just wanted it hard and fast, letting me know she could cum from that. A surprise, but if that’s what she wanted… 

I lasted as long as possible, but I guess tight Dunmer pussy was always going to win in the end. I let her know I was going to cum, and that’s when she surprised me by asking to suck me to completion. Well, I wasn’t going to turn that offer down, and as I sat back on my knees, she quite happily took my cock in her mouth, not bothered at by the fact it had just been deep in her pussy, and she took a load in the mouth a couple of minutes later. 

Feeling drained, I could only mutter, “Bloody hell. That was fantastic.” 

“And the night is yet young, Ragnar. I’m not done with you yet.” 

“Definitely coming back to Whiterun!” 

She gave me ten minutes to recover, sucking me again to make sure I was rock solid. She then spent a couple of minutes just stroking my cock, not to do anything except gaze upon it in admiration. “You ever measured it?” 

“No. I just know it’s above average.” 

“Nice and thick too, Ragnar. I bet women love you for it.” 

“Well, I’ve had my share of compliments over the years.” 

Straddling my groin, she happily slid herself down my cock and immediately rode me hard and fast. I worried she was going to hurt herself, but the only sounds she made were those of pleasure and absolute bliss. She was soon crying out rather loudly, glad we were alone in her house, though I’m sure people probably heard her outside. Reaching up, I played with her breasts as one of her hands moved to her clit. “You’ll make me cum,” she assured me, “But this will make it bigger and better.” 

She changed position slightly, planting her feet on the feet and bouncing on me that way. It must have taken a lot of leg power, but she rode me all the way through one orgasm, not stopping all the way through it, before taking a deep breath and continuing to bounce up and down. Glad that I’d already cum, she pulled me up then she ended up her back, arse in the air with me in a position to drive straight down into her. It didn’t look comfortable at all, but she insisted I fuck her hard. 

We both came hard about five minutes later, and could only lie back, sucking in deep breaths. Both of us started to have a giggle. “Well, this has been a rather pleasant introduction,” I stated. 

“Would you believe me if I said I don’t normally do this?” 

“I would, but it wouldn’t bother me if you did anyway.” 

“There was just something about you that I liked immediately. Seeing that cock of yours just confirmed I made the right decision.” Turning onto her side, she ran a hand up and down my chest, where I did have a faint covering of blonde chest hair. “A short break then we’ll go again?” 

“You’re insatiable.” 

“I want as much as you can give me before you go home tomorrow. Who knows when you’ll be back.” 

“Guess I can’t complain about that.” 

“Are you with someone?” 

“If you mean if I’m in a relationship, no, I’m not. But I have got one or two women I’m also intimate with.” 

“Well, I consider them to be very lucky women indeed.” 

She wasn’t lying. Jenassa made sure I was completely drained by the time we went to sleep much later that evening, or perhaps it was even early morning. But once her appetite was sated, she quite happily snuggled into me as we went to sleep, ensuring my arms were wrapped around her, muttering that she liked to be held by the man who’d just fucked her brains out and made her cum hard. That gave me a good laugh before we fell asleep. 

I had breakfast cooked for me the next morning, and we ate in the nude after I’d watched her cook… perhaps distracting her for a time by bending her over the table and giving her a final load. That made her quite happy, humming contentedly as she finished cooking breakfast. We then dressed and wandered out together, and she escorted me out to where a carriage was waiting to take me home. We shared quite the passionate embrace before I left, with promises that I’d catch up with her again if I was ever in town. 

I’m sure the carriage driver didn’t have to wonder too hard what had me smiling most of the way back to Riften. 

* * *

Knocking on Maven’s door, I’ll admit to a sense of nerves. I didn’t find her all that intimidating, but I was smart enough to realise she probably had friends in high places, and if she wanted, could make my life a living hell. I was surprised it was her to actually answer the door. “Not here,” she said quietly, “Bee and Barb. Ten minutes. Same room.” 

I headed to the inn and waited for her to arrive. Once she arrived and sat down, I took the two letters from my pocket. “This is the one you sent to him,” I said, placing that on the table beside us, “But this is the one that should provoke interest,” I added, handing the second to her. 

She read the letter I handed to her, watching her mood immediately darken, though only for a moment. “It’s not a lot to go on, Ragnar. Did Sabjorn tell you anything?” 

“No. He was an uncooperative git.” 

That made her smirk. “As proven by the first letter. What about this symbol?” 

“That’s the interesting bit. That symbol was also on the note was took from Goldenglow.” 

“Well, whoever this mysterious marking represents, they'll regret starting a war with me. You should bring this information to the Thieves Guild immediately.” 

“That’s what I was going to do after concluding this meeting.” 

She sat back and I think attempted a smile. “Well, I’m not easily impressed, Ragnar, but consider me impressed. Maybe you have a reason to be confident.” 

“I’m arrogant enough to know I’m good, but smart enough to know there are people who are better, and a lot of my skills were hard earned.” 

She nodded her agreement. “It’s always wise to know one’s limitations. Right, I know you will like payment, so do you want gold? Weapons? Armour?” 

“I want your word that, if I wish to see Ingun again, you won’t interfere.” 

“Very well. As you said, she’s old enough to make her own decisions. I’d rather not see her involved with someone from the Guild, but I guess I can’t really complain considering what we actually do.” She leaned forward and prodded my chest. “But I will not have you fuck my daughter in my house. If you wish to defile her again…” 

“I wish you wouldn’t use that word.” 

“Very well. If you wish to _fuck_ her again, then you will find somewhere else to do it. If I find you leaving her room or in my house again, it will not end nicely for you. Understand?” 

“I do. I’ll fuck her here instead,” I said, ensuring I grinned at the same time. 

“Careful, Ragnar.” 

I held up my hands. “It was a joke, Maven.” 

Gathering up the letters, I stood up to leave. “Ragnar?” I looked down at her. “Thank you. Not many people hear those words from me. But you’ve done me a big favour by eliminating Sabjorn. I won’t forget that either.” 

It was dark outside by the time I left the inn, a chill wind causing me to pull my coat a little tighter. A few guards patrolled, but otherwise everyone else was either at home or at the inn, with perhaps a couple of people at the temple for evening prayers. The smell that had so disgusted me when I first arrived had apparently disappeared, though I figured I was just used to it by now. Heading to the secret entrance, I found Brynjolf in the Flagon. Upon seeing me, he gestured to an empty table. 

“So, how did it go?” 

“Very well. Sabjorn is out of business and now enjoying the pleasure of Whiterun prison. Mallus is now running Black-Briar Meadery. We have a new ally in Whiterun with Mallus. Maven Black-Briar is happy with how the mission went.” I pulled the letter from my pocket. “But this is where it gets interesting.” 

I watched Brynjolf read the letter. “This is beyond coincidence, Ragnar. First Aringoth and now Sabjorn. Someone's trying to take us down by driving a wedge between Maven and the Guild.” 

“Well, they’ve failed twice now, and that has to mean they’ll be getting desperate.” 

He nodded. “True, true. Let me give this to Mercer and we’ll see what he says.” He laid a hand on my shoulder. “Good bloody job, lad. Good bloody job. You alone are going to put this Guild back on its feet. I knew that feeling I had when I saw you was right.” 

“I’m not doing it alone, Bryn.” 

“Aye, but you’re doing a hell of a lot of the leg work. By the way, how did Maven pay you?” 

I couldn’t help smirk. “I got assurance she would leave Ingun alone if she wanted to be with me again.” 

Brynjolf cracked up laughing. “Most men would have wanted gold, and you just wanted the chance at some pussy.” 

“Ingun won’t say no. Trust me.” 

That made Brynjolf laugh even harder before he stood up and disappeared into the cistern. I joined Delvin and took out the decanter. I think I made his year as he was very pleased by the find. He disappeared for a couple of minutes and returned with a bag of gold. “How much?” I wondered. 

“Five hundred septims, Ragnar. You ever find anything else like this, the price will only go up. Trust me on this, I will find someone who will want this and we’ll make a tidy profit. Nicely done, lad.” 

“Thanks.” 

As it was now rather late, I spent the rest of the night at the Flagon before heading into the cistern, where I swapped stories with my fellow thieves. Most were pulling their own jobs, but they admitted pickings were slim at the moment, and without any real influence in most cities, they knew if they got caught, they would definitely be on their own. Thieving always required care and attention to detail, but you also wanted a get out clause. I remember working for the Thieves Guild in Cyrodiil that, in most cities, thieves would be jailed but would soon find themselves released, only kept in a cell for longer if they stole from the wrong person. 

The next day, I headed out at around lunchtime and headed to Elgrim’s Elixirs. The smile on Ingun’s face when she saw me walk in the door melted my heart, and she surprised me by running around the counter to hug me. “Damn mother to oblivion sometimes!” she whispered. 

I just hugged her back. “It’s okay. She’s relented now.” 

“How? Why?” 

“I did a favour for her. The favour returned was that you were allowed to do what you want. I know that sounds really bad, as if you were some sort of payment, but…” 

She kissed me hard for a moment. “No, I understand what you mean. You could have taken gold, jewels or anything else…” 

“Want to join me for lunch?” 

The smile simply broadened before she shouted out that she was going to lunch, taking her hand as I led her to the inn. Lunch must have lasted at least two hours, including a meal and a couple of tankards, and we spent time actually getting to know one another, considering we did leap into bed rather quickly. The only thing I didn’t mention was who I was working for now, simply stating I had a job that would occasionally have me wandering Skyrim. If she had an inkling of what I did, she either didn’t care or would make a big deal of it later. 

Dropping her back at her shop after lunch, where we enjoyed a very nice kiss upon parting, with whispers in my ear of more if I wanted, I returned to the cistern to find Brynjolf had been waiting for me to return. He appeared rather nervous, left wondering what I had done. He calmed my fears first before explaining. “Mercer thinks he knows a way to identify this new thorn in our side. He wants to meet with you right away. And if I were you, I'd hurry. I've never seen him this angry before.” 

Mercer had his own desk away from all of us. Behind the desk were a couple of shelving units, on which I saw the decanter I’d found. On the desk was a map of Skyrim and what looked like plans for possible heists, or at least that’s what it looked like. Mercer looked up when noticing me standing there. “Ah, Ragnar, good of you to meet me so soon.” His pleasant tone surprised me, so he added, “I’m a hard arse because I have to be. But you’ve exceeded expectations. Goldenglow sorted. Honningbrew out of business. And, most importantly, Maven Black-Briar reassured that her alliance with the Guild is right for both parties. Now, about Goldenglow, I've consulted my contacts regarding the information but no one can identify that symbol.” 

“I’ve not seen it before either but the letter I nabbed at Honningbrew had the same symbol.” 

He nodded. “It would seem our adversary is attempting to take us apart indirectly by angering Maven Black-Briar. Very clever,” he stated, almost approvingly. 

“You sound impressed, Mercer. But at least we kept Maven onside.” 

“They're well-funded and they've been able to avoid identification for years. I'm surprised it reached this point. Just don't mistake my admiration for complacency; our nemesis is going to pay dearly.” 

“Okay, so what’s our next step?” 

He met my eyes and nodded again. “Good. Just what I wanted to hear. Someone willing to take direct action. And, looking at what you grabbed, even after all their posturing and planning, they've made a mistake. The parchment you recovered mentions a "Gajul-Lei". According to my sources, that's an old alias used by one of our contacts. His real name is Gulum-Ei. Slimy bastard. What I can’t understand is how Gulum-Ei's mixed up in all this; that Argonian couldn't find his tail with both hands. Don't get me wrong. He could scam a beggar out of his last septim, but he's no mastermind.” 

“So I guess I should pay him a visit. Where is he located?” 

“Gulum-Ei is or should I say was our inside man at the East Empire Company in Solitude. I'm betting he acted as a go-between for the sale of Goldenglow Estate and that he can finger our buyer. Get out there, shake him down and see what you come up with.” 

“That’s quite the journey, isn’t it?” 

Mercer cleared away the paper so I could look at the map. “You’ll need to take two carriages as the journey will take at least two days. One to Whiterun, where you can rest the night, then one to Solitude. Just remember that we don’t kill our targets, though you’ll find him to be a stubborn bastard. Breaking a few fingers might be required.” 

“I’ll do what’s necessary without shedding blood.” 

“Good. Follow the rules and you’ll do just fine.” 

Sitting down with Brynjolf in the Flagon, he gave me more information about Gulum-Ei, the East Empire Company and also about Solitude as a city, aware I’d never been that far north. Otherwise, he told me to prepare for at least a few days away, as he knew trying to extract information from Gulum-Ei would be like pulling teeth. He emphasised the fact that I must do it clean and without bloodshed, assuring him in return that I’d make him talk before I kill him, and that I’d leave him alive at the end. 

Remaining in the Flagon until it went dark, I headed out and up to the inn as usual, taking my usual seat. There was no sign of Ingun, assuming she’d gone home, but Haelga wandered in an hour later, making a beeline straight for my table. She sat opposite me, watching me eat my dinner. As soon as I was done, she grabbed my hand and led me out. 

The first round of lovemaking was incredibly intimate, though Haelga insisted it was only because she’d missed me. But once I’d finished inside her as always, she kept her legs and arms wrapped around me, and wanted nothing more than more of my kisses. That was enough to keep me rather hard, and once she felt me back to full thickness, I was rolled onto my back so she could ride me to climax. She came particularly hard, and it was the first time she got really emotional as she lay down on my chest. “Something wrong?” I asked softly. 

“No. Just really needed that release.” 

“You sure?” 

She looked up and smiled. “I’m sure. Just missed you, that’s all.” 

“I missed you too.” 

“But you slept with someone while you were away?” I nodded. “Who was she?” 

“You really want to know with my cock still inside you?” 

She had a little giggle. “Ragnar, I’ve already told you, I don’t mind. So, who was she?” 

“A Dunmer in Whiterun.” 

That surprised her, and I had a chuckle at the face she pulled. “Really? I didn’t think you’d go for elves.” 

Shrugging, I said, “Humans or elves, I don’t mind. I don’t find orcs attractive, and fucking a khajit would just be weird. But the Dunmer I was with in Whiterun was fit as fuck.” That gave her another good chuckle. “She was a mercenary, so she kept fit.” 

She laid her head back down as I stroked her back. “And you won’t be mad if I wanted to fuck someone else?” 

“I said it would be a hell of a double standard if I was mad or jealous.” 

“Okay,” she said quietly. She didn’t add anything for a while before she said, “I don’t want anyone else, just so you know.” 

“Even if I disappear for a few days?” 

She looked up again. “That’s what my toy drawer is for. I’ll just have to imagine your hard cock inside me while I fuck myself stupid with it.” 

Leaning down, I whispered into her ear, “Well, it’s inside you now, Haelga.” 

She ended up on her hands and knees, wanting it hard and fast before we went to sleep. She also asked me to give her a good spanking at the same time, and by the time I was finished, her cheeks were bright red and I was sure must have hurt, but she’d cum incredibly hard, so I can only assume she actually loved it. When I finally came, I practically passed out and collapsed on top of her, barely keeping my entire weight from squashing her, though she loved the feeling of my body pressed against hers, at least until it did get a little uncomfortable. 

Spooning against me a little later, she wiggled her butt into my crotch and made sure my arms were tight around her. “Ragnar,” she whispered. 

“Yeah?” 

“I definitely have feelings. I shouldn’t, but I do.” 

“So what do we do?” 

“Continue as we are, because I already accept you as the man you are, and I don’t want to deprive you of what you want, which is a selection of women who will definitely desire you too.” 

“Teachings of Dibella?” I wondered. 

“Of course. The only thing I want is for you to share my bed as often as you can.” 

“I promise.” I didn’t say that second word lightly. 

We laid in silence for quite a while, her hand stroking one my arms, as I stroked her stomach, loving the feeling of her soft skin at my fingertips. 

“I love you,” she said quietly, “And don’t feel like you have to return…” 

“I love you too.” Because I did. Perhaps not in the same way she loved me. I’m sure the way I loved her in return was different. But while I liked Ingun or Jenassa, I thought about Haelga constantly, and my promise was based on the fact I would want to share her bed above the rest. 

It was unsurprising she started to shudder as she wept, so I turned her around to hold her, lifting her chin so I could dry her happy tears, and the kiss we shared spoke volumes of her affections for me. Then she gave me a gentle shove. “Falling in love with a fucking thief. That’s all I need in my life!” she exclaimed, before she hugged me tightly. 

Waking together the next morning, the smile on her face continued to speak volumes of how happy she now was. I’m glad I brought her that happiness. It was a nice feeling, and the only time I’d felt similar feelings was when I was with Ariel. And I was always sure she knew I liked her more than I should, but she never made a big deal about it. She’d been right, though. I fell hard for the first woman I was intimate with. 

We headed downstairs together, where her niece was serving breakfast. We had a table all to ourselves as we ate together, and no-one dared make a comment. I’d been there often enough now for everyone to realise Haelga and I were intimate, if not in a quasi-relationship. “Will you be around tonight?” she asked. 

“No. I’m off to Solitude today for work.” 

“Quite the journey. Will you be gone long?” 

“It’s a two-day journey there. Then the job, that I’m not sure how long will last for. Then a two-day journey back. So I might be gone a week at least.” 

I could see that disappointed her, though it disappeared quickly, covering it with a smile. We finished breakfast together and before I left we shared a long, passionate embrace, enough that her niece cleared her throat, though was smart enough not to say anything. “When you’re back, if it’s the evening, just come straight here,” she said softly, “I’ll be waiting for you.” 

“Naked?” 

“Definitely.” 

I kissed her a final time before I left, returning to the cistern where I packed up the supplies I would need for such a journey. Brynjolf gave me a little more advice about what to expect, particularly in regards to being careful and remaining anonymous, because if I got caught, I was on my home. I assured him I’d find the Argonian, get what we needed, then head straight back. 

I asked the carriage driver about direct journeys to Solitude from Riften, and he said that wasn’t possible. I could go to Windhelm, Whiterun or Falkreath, but carriage drivers did not like driving at night, so he suggested Whiterun for the day then he would complete the job the next day. 

We made Whiterun by sundown, and I headed straight to the Bannered Mare, not because I was avoiding Jenassa, but because the Drunken Huntsman didn’t have rooms, otherwise I would have headed there. After booking a room and grabbing a feed, I was joined by Ysolda again, and once the music started, she had me up and dancing with her. It was rather lively to begin with, but once the musician slowed it down, Ysolda had her body pressed into mine, her hands running up and down my back, complimenting me on my physique. Once again, there was a little bit of kissing as there was definitely an attraction, and while I was tempted to invite her to my room, I was distracted by the mission, so while polite enough to escort Ysolda to her home, where we shared a rather passionate embrace, there was no invitation to join her inside, so I headed back to the Bannered Mare for sleep. 

The scenery of Skyrim changed as we headed west then north the next day. Whiterun Hold was flat, surrounded by mountains or large hills, passing through a town called Rorikstead before noon, continuing to head north as the sun moved overhead, eventually crossing an impressive bridge outside a village called, funnily enough, Dragon Bridge, before we started to climb towards Solitude. 

Thanking the carriage driver for carrying me from one end of Skyrim to the other, I walked up to the gates and into an execution.


	6. Best Laid Plans

“Who’s the poor bastard losing his head?” I quietly asked the man next to me. 

“Roggvir,” the man replied out of the side of mouth. 

“What did he do?” 

“You’ll find out in a minute. The captain is walking up the steps now.” 

Plenty of abuse was being hurled at the man dressed in little more than rags, hands bound in front of him. His hair was long and dirty, his beard straggly. But he had an air of defiance in the face of the accusing words. Most were calling him a traitor. I could have a good guess at what he’d done considering the civil war I’d heard about. 

“Roggvir. You helped Ulfric Stormcloak escape this city after he murdered High King Torygg. By opening that gate for Ulfric you betrayed the people of Solitude!” the captain exclaimed. 

The torrent of abuse only increased, and it took the line of guards keeping the crowd away from possibly tearing Roggvir limb from limb. Roggvir was allowed to step forward to answer the accusation. 

“There was no murder! Ulfric challenged Torygg. He beat the High King in fair combat. Such is our way! Such as the ancient custom of Skyrim, and all Nords!” 

The crowd continued to be unruly, and it took guards pushing people back with spears, one or two brandishing swords, and I wondered if this wasn’t going to turn ugly. But the crowd behaved, stepping back and continued to just hurl insults at Roggvir, while I think the guards took a few barbed words too. The crowd was now so loud, you could barely hear the captain give the order for execution, Roggvir walked forward unaided to the block, where he dropped to his knees and lowered his head. The executioner walked forward, carrying an enormous two-handed axe. Lining up the axe, he took the head of Roggvir in one swing. 

Their bloodlust satisfied, the crowd dispersed rather quickly. The executioner took the head, and I assumed that it would be placed on a pike above the gates as a warning to others. I fell in with the crowd, hoping to be ignored, though the coat I wore would have covered my armour. I’d heard more than one comment suggest I was a thief. They were right, but I certainly didn’t like being accused of being one! 

Mercer had mentioned that I would find Gulum-Ei in a tavern called the Winking Skeever, Locating the tavern wasn’t particularly difficult as it was on the main road leading towards the palace. Wandering inside, it was rather full, with two musicians playing an instrument each, with a third providing further ambience with a simply beautiful singing voice. I had to stop, watch and listen for a few minutes, and once she finished, I had to join in with the applause that echoed around the entire tavern. 

Thought I wanted a tankard of ale after such a long journey from Riften, I didn’t want to converse with the Argonian with anything but a clear mind, Mercer and Brynjolf both warning that he was a slippery fucker, and I had the feeling they were not entirely confident I’d get the information out of him we needed. However, though I wouldn’t kill him, I could always torture the bastard to get what I wanted. Not that I’d done that before, but when needs must… 

I found the Argonian in a secluded corner of the tavern, busy drinking an aisle, back to the corner, eyes on everyone entering and leaving. No doubt he had clocked me enter, and probably sniffed out who I was within five seconds. Standing in front of his table, I simply looked down at him and said, “Gulum-Ei.” 

He looked up at me with what I thought was a smirk. “Let me guess. By your scent, I'd say you were from the Guild. But that can't be true, because I told Mercer I wouldn't deal with them anymore.” 

I took the spare chair without being invited to sit down and just looked at him in silence for a moment. I guess I was naively hoping I’d make him sweat, but he merely returned my look. “I’m here about Goldenglow,” I finally said. 

“I don't deal in land or property. Now, if you're looking for goods, you've come to the right person.” 

“Is that so, Gajul-Lei?” 

Reading Argonian faces at the best of times is difficult, but I saw the nervous swallow, so I knew I had him, at least for a moment. “My apologies. I'm sorry to say I know very little about that… Bee farm, was it?” 

I sighed, ready to take out my dagger to issue a threat or two, but I’d rather get the information without doing that. “Look, we know you acted as a broker for that deal. Your name is all over the paperwork.” 

He shrugged. “Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. I can't be expected to remember every deal I handle.” 

I sighed again, and withdrew the dagger, placing it on the table. “Listen very carefully, you dumb fuck. You’re going to tell me everything I need to know…” 

“Hasn't Mercer Frey taught you people anything? You kill me and your only contact with the East Empire Company vanishes. That's not smart for business.” 

I let the smirk form, and I could see the body language change. “Who said anything about killing you? What I will do is drag your sorry arse out of this tavern, find a nice secluded alley, where I will first beat your black and blue, and if you still don’t cooperate, I’ll start removing fingers and toes until you give me what I want.” 

“You’re not…” 

I slammed dagger point first into the table, no doubt earning the curious glances of others in the tavern. “You’d better believe I’m not joking,” I growled, “Do not test my patience. Someone is fucking with the Guild and I want to know who it is.” 

He held up both his hands, now scared shitless. Good, that meant he’d tell me the truth. “Okay, okay, okay. I’ll tell you what I know. I was approached by a woman who wanted me to act as the broker for something big. She flashed a bag of gold in my face and said all I had to do was pay Aringoth for the estate. I brought him the coin and walked away with her copy of the deed.” 

“Interesting. Did she give you any reason why she’s doing all this? She’s certainly well-funded and in the know.” 

“I tend not to ask too many questions when I'm on the job. I'm sure you understand. However, I did notice she was quite angry and it was being directed at Mercer Frey.” 

I nodded, definitely understanding what he meant, but still asked, “Did you at least get a name?” 

“In this business we rarely deal in names; our identity comes from how much coin we carry.” 

“Or your aliases,” I muttered. He snorted in amusement, knowing it was an alias he’d used that led me to his table. 

“Look, that's all I know. I never promised you I'd have all the answers. Now, since our transaction is done, I'll be on my way.” 

“Watch yourself, Gulum-Ei. You’re not smart enough to get away with it.” 

He gave me a look but I let him leave, letting him think I’d sit there and simply slink back to Riften. But I knew the slimy bastard knew a hell of a lot more than he was telling, so what I needed to do was find out where he was hiding information. Giving him a minute to leave, I knew he worked at the East Empire Company, so just had to figure out where their warehouse was. 

Heading back to the gates, I was fortunate enough to see him in the distance, walking down the road and disappearing to the left. Jogging after him, he had already disappeared around another corner, but a signpost said the docks and the warehouse were down the hill. Perfect. 

There was a lone guard on patrol around the docks, looking rather bored by everything. Gulum-Ei had disappeared by the time I was walking along the docks, and I quickly found myself at a large door, the sign stating the East Empire Company was inside. Glancing back to ensure no-one was watching, I managed to pick the lock rather quickly before stepping inside. 

Stopping for a moment to allow my eyes to adjust to the gloom, I noticed guards on patrol. I didn’t particularly want to wander through, cutting down everyone. These were likely legitimate workers, so I kept to the shadows and looked for a way forward. Climbing up a tall stack of shelves, I kept low and in the dark as I moved forward, noticing Gulum-Ei walk forward unimpeded, though he did stop occasionally to share a word with a guard. That was good for me, as I could watch where he was going easily, noticing he finally slipped into a hidden area. 

Getting there myself was difficult, and I did eventually have to deal with one or two guards. Ensuring my hands were empty, I made do with knocking them out though made sure they wouldn’t be found for at least a little while. Otherwise, it was a case of watching the guards patrol and moving when their backs were turned. It took a while, but I eventually made it to the same door through which Gulum-Ei disappeared. 

I have no idea where I was, but it was clearly not part of the warehouse. There was something dodgy about all of it, and after taking care sneaking forward, I noticed bandits or mercenaries instead of warehouse workers. Fair game, as far as I was concerned. I’d left my shield back in Riften, armed with only a sword and dagger. Two men were standing on the edge near a river of water. Sneaking up behind them, I kicked one in the back, pushing him into the water, allowing the other one to turn so I could drive my sword into his gut. The one in the water couldn’t swim, and I left him behind to drown. 

The noise attracted attention, as another bandit was running towards me. On the narrow ledge with the water to my left, I parried a couple of his swings before getting in close, putting a foot into his knee. That caused him to drop down and I put a knee into his side, watching him fall into the water. I dealt with another three bandits, none of them particularly skilful, pushing two more into the water, the third required a sword through the chest to shut him up. 

Gulum-Ei was definitely involved in a smuggling operation, considering the number of large crates and barrels bearing the East Empire Company name and symbol. But my eyes were for the three bandits who he was talking to. He turned as I approached and I think turned a shade or two of green lighter, as the three bandits thought fighting me was a good idea. Fighting three at once is never a good idea, but it was lucky for me that I don’t mind fighting dirty. 

However, I also like to think I have some honour, so once I was one on one with the last bandit, I offered him the chance to leave with his life. “Drop your weapons now and you can go,” I said. 

“I’m a dead man if I do.” 

“You’re a dead man if you stay. All the others are now dead or dying. You’ll see their bodies in the water when you go. Is this really worth dying for? You’ll find another group to work for. This isn’t worth it.” 

His sword dropped first, quickly followed by his shield, and he even added his hidden dagger, before holding his arms wide and walking away. “You have my thanks, stranger.” 

I waited until I figured he was at least halfway back to the entrance before turning my attention to Gulum-Ei. He was now scared shitless. “Sit!” I ordered, the Argonian complying immediately. Standing behind him, I put the tip of my sword on his shoulder, making sure he felt the blade against his neck. 

“Now, there's no need to do anything rash...” He audibly swallowed. “This isn't as bad as it seems. I was going to tell Mercer about everything, honestly! Please, he'll have me killed!” 

“I thought you said the Guild doesn’t operate like that…” 

“The Guild doesn’t, but Mercer…” He trailed off. I was intrigued as to what he would want to add, but I left it for now. 

“Just tell me what I want to know and I will leave you alone, and none of this need be mentioned, though perhaps kicking a few more septims to the Guild will be a good idea.” 

“I see you wish to be reasonable. Perhaps I misjudged you. The name of the person you want is Karliah.” 

“And who is Karliah?” 

“Mercer never told you about her? Karliah is the thief responsible for murdering the previous Guild Master, Gallus. Now she's after Mercer.” 

“So why are you helping her?” 

He started to shake his head. “Help? No, no! Look, I didn't even know it was her until after she contacted me. Please, you have to believe me!” 

I pressed the blade into his neck, enough to give him a fright, perhaps start to plead for his life. But I believed him, fairly sure he was about to wet himself. So I removed the blade and sheathed it, but clamped a hand on his shoulder. “I believe you, Gulum-Ei. However, what I do need to know is where Karliah is now?” 

“I don't know. When I asked her where she was going, she just muttered ‘where the end began’. Here, take the Goldenglow Estate deed as proof. And when you speak to Mercer, tell him I'm worth more to him alive.” 

“In thanks for your cooperation, I’ll keep quiet about all this. But I expect a little something in return.” 

“Now you're speaking my language. Tell you what, if you need any stolen goods fenced, you bring them to me and I'll pay you good money for them. Consider me your new friend in the north.” 

“And maybe some select goods from the East Empire Company warehouse? I have some lady friends who would like the latest styles. Perhaps a nice dress or lingerie?” 

“Sure, sure. I can hook you up on the best stuff available.” 

“Good. Now, since I followed you in here, I’m going to need your help getting out.” 

Gulum-Ei helped me get out of the warehouse past the guards, stating I was a new hire just learning what was required. I had to admit, the Argonian was a brilliant liar, and none of them thought he was lying at all. Once we were back outside, he asked nervously, “Now, you won't forget to tell Mercer I cooperated, will you?” 

It was now rather late, so I headed back to Solitude and the Winking Skeever. I managed to get a bed for the evening, and enjoyed a hot meal and a few tankards of mead. Though I would have liked some female company, my attempts at flirting with the rather pretty blonde Breton singer blew up in my face, though only because she insisted she didn’t sleep with anyone from the crowd. I think she was just letting me down nicely, but was polite enough to join me for a drink and a chat. 

The journey back to Riften took two days, leaving at dawn the first day, making it to Whiterun in the afternoon, where I had another night in the Bannered Mare. I only made it back to Riften after dark the next evening. In fact, much later than usual so that by the time I entered the Bee and Barb, they were already asking for last orders. 

Wanting some particular female company, Haelga had given me a key before leaving so I was free to come and go from the Bunkhouse. Quietly climbing the stairs, I think Haelga was already asleep as I shut the door silently, only a candle providing any illumination. Stripping off completely, I slid under the covers and Haelga turned over to my body. Only when she felt my presence did she wake up. 

She was eager for my mouth, and the kiss was immediately hot and passionate, wasting little time climbing on top to straddle me. Her hands were all over my face and through my hair, though she eventually stopped to simply look at me. “Hello,” she whispered. 

“Hello to you too. Miss me?” 

“Like you wouldn’t believe. Did you miss me?” 

“Of course.” Running my hands up and down her back, she leaned down to kiss me again, my cock prodding her entrance, and I managed to blindly slide inside her. She gasped into my mouth, refusing to stop kissing me, as she met my slow thrust by sliding down me. Once our groins touched, she had to break the kiss to smile at me. 

“I love this feeling.” 

She started to ride me ever so slowly, her mouth still desperate for mine, her tongue exploring my mouth and teeth. Gods, she was a good kisser. My hands ran down her back and sides before finally resting on her arse, giving it a good squeeze. Her arse was fantastic, holding it tight as she started to ride me just a little faster. 

“I love you,” she whispered, her eyes only for mine as she bounced away. I moved a hand to run it through her blonde hair before cupping her cheek, watching her eyes close at my touch. She wasn’t lying. The look on her face, in her eyes, her entire body language, told me what she was feeling. 

I wanted to make love to her all night, but it had been a few days since we’d been together, so I felt my orgasm approaching quicker than normal. I warned her about that, but I think she just wanted my cock inside her for a little while, and we’d make up for lost time tomorrow. That didn’t stop her riding me faster, hoping she would climax too, but it was too much for me, dragging her down to hold her body tight to mine as I pumped her hard and fast for a couple of minutes before I came. I think she liked my groans, giggling away in my ear as I suddenly felt very drained. 

“I think someone needed that,” she said quietly. 

“I needed you.” 

“Didn’t get any while you were away?” My face fell, a little hurt as I thought she accepted that. She immediately noticed and made sure she hugged me tightly. “I’m sorry. That was mean of me.” 

I hugged her back, kissing her cheek too. “No. I understand what you mean. And, no, I didn’t have company while I was away. But I was always going to come see you first when I returned. And I would have been happy just to lie next to you until the morning.” 

She slid off me as I continued to kiss her, knowing she hadn’t climaxed either. The mood changed as my hands wandered her body, and she spread her legs so I could help bring her off. She was almost insistent that I continued to kiss her until she finally had to rest her head on my shoulder, listening to her soft moans and breathing as I brought her to climax. I felt her shudder as she came, her arms tightening around my body. “Gods, Ragnar,” she cried quietly. 

I kept fondling her, wondering if she would want another one, but she finally grabbed my wrist and asked me to stop as she’d had enough. “We’ll continue in the morning. It’s late.” 

She kept her promise, as I was woken as the sun rose by her lips around my cock. All I did was shuffle up the bed so I could watch her make love to my cock with her mouth, and she certainly took her time trying to bring me off. I did ask if she wanted anything else, but she insisted that all she wanted was my cock in her mouth, and then my cum down her throat. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is. 

So I watched her for however long it took. Her eyes remained on mine nearly the entire time, and I did enjoy watching my entire cock disappear into her mouth. I think she was rather pleased to do it at the same time, always looking up and smiling at me when she did. 

The problem with Haelga is that she was an excellent cocksucker, so while I loved what she did, I couldn’t handle it for too long. Warning her I was close to orgasm, she kept doing what she was doing, and she was rather excited when she finally felt the first stream of cum erupt in her mouth. She took the entire load and swallowed the lot, ensuring she cleaned me up with her tongue before she simply crawled the bed to lie beside me, giving me a peck on the cheek. “Morning,” she said quietly. 

“Aye, morning.” 

“Thank you for coming to me last night. Did you come straight here?” 

“Of course. I said I would. The only reason I arrived so late is that we were delayed by a couple of bears on the road. It took a while to scare them off. The driver tried to make up time but the road isn’t the best, and he had to be careful once the sun disappeared.” 

“I was hoping you’d walk in on me as I was masturbating. You could have replaced my fingers or toy with your cock. Just walk in, undress and slide inside me. Just the thought of you doing that got me very excited.” 

“Maybe next time.” 

Wrapping an arm around her, we lay back together, her hand running up and down my chest, my hand stroking her side. She asked what I was doing, admitting that she did wonder what I was up to from time to time, knowing and beginning to accept what I did, particularly once I admitted that, so far, I’d actually done little thieving, finding myself involved in all manner of other intrigues. But I also admitted that I was still a thief at heart, but that I had heard of the Companions of Whiterun, and was considering approaching them. 

“But that would mean taking me away from you,” I added, “And I’ve grown to like Riften too.” 

“You know how I mentioned company last night?” I nodded. “I’ve heard rumour that you’ve been in the company of someone else in Riften.” 

“Ingun. Yes, I have.” 

“Okay.” 

I couldn’t help the chuckle as I lifted her chin to meet my eyes. “That’s it? Okay?” 

“Again, I was just wondering if you’d be honest, and what you’d say?” 

“I slept with her before our first time, and while we’ve had lunch since, we haven’t been intimate again.” 

“Do you want to be intimate with her again?” 

“Yes.” 

She smiled. “Okay. Again, you’re honest with me.” She snuggled into me, adding, “And she’s a pretty girl. I understand the attraction. The best thing is that it would piss off Maven Black-Briar. Bitch.” 

“Don’t like her?” 

“Gods no, she’s a fucking bitch. Far too much power and influence in this city for my liking. Is she aware of your interest in her daughter?” 

“She is, considering the morning after I fucked her, I had to walk through their dining room where Maven was waiting for me.” 

Haelga found that quite amusing, cracking up with laughter for a good couple of minutes, imagining her reaction to my presence. She quieted down eventually as she confessed, “I’m sure my niece says things about me, and perhaps even about us, to those who live here.” 

“Do you care what she thinks?” 

“I do simply because I have to live with her. And rumours have a habit of spreading. I know people talk about me already, as I’ve told you before.” 

“Do you care what they think?” 

“I know I shouldn’t but I do.” She kissed my cheek, adding softly, “Though the only real opinion that matters is yours.” 

“And I think you are an absolute delight, Haelga.” 

I think we would have happily laid there all day, cuddling, chatting, with the occasional round of lovemaking, but I had to report to Mercer, and she had a house to run, further emphasised when her niece knocked on the door, asking when Haelga would be downstairs to help. She didn’t want to move at all, but she eventually rolled over me and stood up, giving me a good view of her back and perfect arse. 

She had to pull me up as I was rather comfortable myself, and we dressed together, mixing plenty of kissing and cuddling. Heading downstairs, the dining room was full to bursting, and I quietly apologised to Haelga for distracting her. The last thing I wanted to do was affect her business. She wouldn’t hear of it, of course, ensuring she left a long, lingering kiss on my lips before I left her. 

Heading down into the Flagon via the Ratway, Brynjolf was sitting with Vex and Delvin, all three looking relieved at my appearance. Taking a seat with them, I declined the offer of an ale before Brynjolf asked, “How did it go, lad?” 

“Gulum-Ei talked, but I’d better talk to Mercer before anyone.” 

“Bad?” 

“Could be. It will depend on Mercer.” 

Wandering into the cistern a few minutes later, it was rather busy as I walked over the raised area towards Mercer’s desk, where he appeared to be reviewing a map, or perhaps some heist plans. He looked up seeing me approach and his face darkened. I don’t think because of me personally but at what I was possibly about to tell him. 

“So, what did our Argonian friend cough up?” 

“He said Goldenglow was purchased by a ‘Karliah’.” 

I’ve never seen a man’s face drain of colour as fast as Mercer’s did. I thought he was about to collapse, wondering if he had a chair behind him to break his fall. “No, it… It can't be. I haven't heard that name in decades. This is grave news indeed. She's someone I hoped to never cross paths with again.” 

“Gulum-Ei told me what he knew, which to be honest, wasn’t much. What can you tell me about her?” 

“Karliah destroyed everything this Guild stood for. She murdered my predecessor in cold blood and betrayed the Guild. After we discovered what she'd done, we spent months trying to track her down, but she just vanished.” 

“Well, she must still have a bone to pick with the Guild because she’s returned with a vengeance. But why the apparent hatred for all this?” 

“Karliah and I were like partners. I went with her on every heist. We watched each other's backs. I know her techniques, her skills. If she kills me, there'll be no one left that could possibly catch her. If only we knew where she was...” 

“That’s where Gulum-Ei did come in useful. He mentioned the words ‘where the end began’.” 

He snorted, as if what I just said had an edge of humour. “There's only one place that could be. The place where she murdered Gallus. A ruin called Snow Veil Sanctum. We have to go out there before she disappears again.” 

That caused me to raise my eyebrows in surprise. “We? Why am I being dragged into this?” 

“You’re neck deep in this already, Ragnar. And while I’m confident I can kill her alone if I have her cornered, I wouldn’t mind some back up at least. Your sword might just come in handy. I hope you can fight.” 

“Can you tell me anymore about what all this is about. Karliah murdered Gallus. Fair enough. But I’ve thought about it on the way back and I’m still trying to figure out why. What happened exactly?” 

He thought about it for a moment before gesturing for me to follow. We walked into the Flagon where he grabbed a pair of tankards then ordered everyone out, including Vekel, while told Dirge to bar the other door in until we were done. Taking a seat at a table, I took a sip as Mercer took a moment, I guess to get his thoughts in a line. He still looked utterly shocked by what I’d told him, as if a ghost from the past had reappeared. From what he’d told me, I guess this Karliah was. 

“Twenty-five years ago, Gallus and I were to meet at Snow Veil Sanctum. He wouldn’t say why, but I figured it was some sort of heist. The old ruins around Skyrim are full of treasure, though I thought maybe we would be hitting somewhere in Winterhold or Windhelm, as both cities are close by. When I arrived, Gallus stepped from the shadows of the ruin. Before he uttered a sound, an arrow pierced his throat. Before I could even draw my blade, her second arrow found its mark in my chest.” 

“Bloody hell, so she’s that good?” 

“Karliah was a master marksman and her greatest weapon was the element of surprise. I was lucky as she missed my heart by mere inches. I staggered away from the ruins and my vision began to blur. It's then that I realised the bitch had poisoned her arrows.” 

“Okay, before we head there, I want to know everything you can tell me about Karliah, because no doubt she’s going to take me by surprise anyway, so I’d like to know how fucked my situation is.” 

He barked a bitter laugh before replying. “She was a stubborn Dunmer.” 

“She’s a dark elf?” 

He nodded. “They make good thieves. And Karliah always had to do everything her way. But she was also the best, bringing in more coin a month than some thieves heist in a year. Gallus trusted her too much and let her get too close.” I didn’t miss the insinuation, and my face must have been easily readable, as he nodded before continuing. “Were they fucking? I have no doubt they were. But I think she was softening him for the kill. Gallus would call her his "little nightingale". He was absolutely smitten by her.” 

“So she was attractive?” 

“She could have had all the men of the Guild under her spell if she’d really wanted. Before she proved to be a murderous, traitorous bitch, I would have considered a roll with her. The one thing I can’t figure out is what was the true reason she killed him. That’s one question I want to ask her before I put her in the ground.” 

I drained my tankard. “Right, when do you want to go?” 

“I doubt Karliah will move before I arrive. No doubt she wants a showdown, and I want to be organised before we leave. We’ll leave the morning after tomorrow. Get yourself a horse. You should have the coin for a decent one now, and it’s better than a carriage. We’ll make our way there separately, just in case she has eyes on the city.” 

When Delvin returned, I asked where the best place was to buy a map. He laughed and disappeared for a few minutes, returning with a pile of rolled paper. There were maps of Skyrim, maps of each Hold, maps of each city, maps of where all the ruined forts. You get the idea. I took a map of Skyrim, and a map of each Hold. It was a lot to carry but I would only take the map of the Holds I would actually need. 

“What about buying my own place?” 

He stroked his chin for a moment. “That will depend on the jarl, though if you have the coin ready to buy immediately, they might be willing to sell without you having to prove yourself worthy. How much coin do you have, if you don’t mind telling?” 

“Two and a half.” 

He raised his eyebrows. “Made a bit of coin already eh?” I chuckled as he added, “But I know that won’t be enough for a house. Most start at five and only go up from there. Sorry, Ragnar, you’re stuck with us for a while longer.” 

“What about a horse?” 

“You have more than enough. No problem there.” 

He was right, as I headed up to the stables outside the city gates and had a good chat with the stable owner. He showed me all the horses he had available to sell, asking what I would require. I suggested I’d probably be doing a lot of travel across Skyrim, including into the northern regions, where it was colder. I eventually handed over five hundred septims for a horse the colour of night. I christened him Sooty, much to the amusement of the stable hand. 

Happy that I had transportation, I knew I’d need some good armour if I was going up against someone as talented as Karliah probably was. So I headed to the markets and to Grelka. She was surprised to see me, figuring I was likely one of the many who would peruse her wares and never return. I said I wanted the strongest chest armour she could provide, in addition to new boots and bracers, and they must be able to withstand the cold. Realising she was going to make one hell of a sale, she closed her stall and led me to her warehouse, which was simply a converted house down by the river, where she stored much of her stock. 

“What do you prefer, weight wise?” 

“Light is best. I don’t like being weighed down.” 

Taking a seat at a table, she walked in a couple of minutes later carrying a pile of armour. “Ever heard of scale armour?” Shaking my head, she started to explain, “This is some of the best light armour you can buy, unless you’re really willing to pay through the nose. What I’m about to give you isn’t cheap either. But it’s exactly what you’ll want. A fusion of corundum and steel, with leather bindings, but light enough that you won’t feel over encumbered. Want to try it on?” 

I said I would, and Grelka made no move to leave as I started to undress. Standing there in just my underwear, she asked, “You have a few scars. Mercenary?” 

“I used to work for the Fighter’s Guild in Cyrodiil. I found myself in one or two scrapes.” 

“What do you do now?” 

“Nothing regular. Riften is slim pickings regarding the sort of work I’m used to.” 

It took a few minutes to get the armour on, as it was a little tight, but I certainly felt more protected than normal. Grelka helped tighten some of the straps for me, making sure it wasn’t too snug, though I noticed her hands linger on my arms for a few second longer than necessary. Not that I complained. “What do you think?” 

“I certainly feel a lot safer than what I was wearing.” It was the same armour I’d brought from Cyrodiil, a simple leather armour that was usually good enough for the work I did. But a pack of bandits was different to a dark elf assassin. “How much?” 

“Since you’re buying a set, I’ll give you a discount. The armour is usually three-fifty, the boots and bracers seventy a piece. You don’t want a helmet?” 

“No. I don’t like my head weighed down at all.” 

“Okay, so the armour, boots and bracers… Make it four-fifty.” 

“Do you haggle?” She gave me a look that made me chuckle. “Fair enough. Four-fifty is fair.” 

“Do you want to keep your old armour? If you don’t, I’ll buy it off you.” She had a good look over it. It was in good condition but was old, but I’d figure she could still sell it. “Tell you what, I’ll take a hundred off the price.” 

“Deal.” 

I counted out and handed over a bag of coin, and she was suddenly rather friendly, if not a little flirty. I took it in my stride, finding it rather amusing, as we walked back to her stall. She thanked me for the purchase, and even mentioned that I might find her in the Bee and Barb from time to time. I thanked her for the purchase and headed back to the cistern so I could leave my armour there and change into some normal clothes. 

Once the sun disappeared, I headed up to town and my usual spot in the inn. I should have known something would go wrong, though, knowing my luck, as I entered to see Haelga and Ingun sitting at my usual table. Both looked my way and smiled as I sat down, wondering what I was about to receive. “You look like you’re about to be sick, Ragnar. Are you okay?” Ingun asked sweetly, laying a hand on my forearm. 

“No, I’m fine. Just wondering what’s going on.” 

Haelga gestured to Talen-Jei to bring us some drinks before she added her own thoughts. “I was just having a nice chat with Ingun here, Ragnar. Comparing notes, shall I say…” 

I couldn’t help roll my head back and groan, hearing both of them laugh. “It’s fine, Ragnar,” Ingun stated, “What is going on between us isn’t serious. We’ve only fucked the once anyway.” 

Once the tankards arrived, and I drained most of it at once, I asked, “Okay, so…?” 

Both of them shrugged. “Well, what I can say is that it’s easy for us to be together, Ragnar,” Haelga stated, “But Ingun knows that your presence at her mother’s manor wouldn’t be welcome.” 

“That’s an understatement,” I stated with a chuckle. 

“That doesn’t leave many options for you. I mean, you can always rent a room here, though that might start getting expensive. You can attempt public fucking, but that could see you thrown in jail. Or, and I’m not suggesting this for right now, but we could always have a threesome.” 

I’m glad I didn’t have a mouth full of ale, as I’d have spat it out. “You’re serious?” I asked, looking between them. 

“I’ve had them before, Ragnar, and I know you have too, so the offer shouldn’t come as a surprise. And young Ingun here is open-minded enough that, while she wants your cock, she’s willing to give my pussy a try too. And I’d like to give that young pussy of hers a try in return.” 

“But not tonight?” 

She smiled. “Not tonight, Ragnar.” 

“Well, I am off on a job tomorrow morning. So what’s the plan?” 

“Ingun will go home soon. You’re coming home with me.” 

Ingun shared one more tankard with us before she left, ensuring to sit on my lap and give me such a long kiss, her tongue doing things that certainly sent signals to other parts of my body. With a final stroke of my cheek, she got off my lap, wished us goodnight, and disappeared out the door. “Yeah, she’s a cutie. I can see why you want to fuck her,” Haelga stated bluntly. I could only look at her and chuckle, “I said I don’t mind as long as you’re honest.” 

We enjoyed one more drink alone before we left for the Bunkhouse. Up in her penthouse, I threw her on the bed and ripped off her panties. She laughed as I simply hiked up her skirt and buried my face. “Oh, you want my cunt that badly, do you? You going to make me cum with that tongue of yours?” Gods, she had a filthy mouth. Another thing to love about her. 

“I’m eating you out then fucking your arse.” 

She smiled. “Oh, I love a man who knows what he wants. Go on then, eat my cunt. Make me cum. Then my arse is yours to do whatever you want with.” 

Dropping to the floor on my knees, I dragged her to the edge and lifted her pussy to my face. She laughed away as I just went to town on her. With her legs draped over my shoulders, I soon had her writhing at my ministrations, practically pushing her pussy into my mouth. She managed to sit up slightly to grab my hair. “Fuck…” she cried. 

I think my taking complete control rather excited her, as it didn’t take long for her to make the sort of noises that suggested an orgasm was getting close. Her legs still over my shoulders, I just tightened my hold on her and lifted myself up slightly. She laughed and moaned at the same time as the position she was in probably looked awkward, though she made no complaint. “Ragnar?” I stopped a moment and met my eyes. “You eat my pussy like no other.” I smiled as I continued to eat her out, now watching her eyes and face as she moaned even more. 

She was soon rubbing her pussy in my face as much as I was eating her out, and switching my attention to her clit finished her off, hearing her cry out loudly that she was cumming, her body arching and bucking as I held onto her before she had to ask me to slow down and eventually stop. Lowering her body down, her legs hanging off the edge of the bed, she started to laugh to herself as I started to undress myself, opening the drawer to find the bottle I would need. 

“Not wasting time tonight?” 

“I want that arse. And I’m figuring you want me in your arse.” 

“And this is why I pray to Dibella. Oh, we still have a lot to do together, Ragnar. A lot to do.” 

She stood up and threw off her dress, holding up her panties that were now completely ruined, before she kicked off her boots and stood before me naked. I embraced her for a moment and gave her a soft kiss, holding her tight to my body. “Softening me up, are you?” 

“I love you,” I said softly, “I know it must sound weird, considering everything else I do...” 

“What do you think love is, Ragnar?” 

“I get funny feelings whenever I’m around you. Good feelings. Positive feelings. I want to smile all the time. And definitely be intimate with you. Make you happy. Have you return that smile.” 

“Well, in addition to all that, do you think about me often?” 

“I do.” 

“And you enjoy being with me?” 

“Definitely. And not just the sex. I just love being with you, holding you in my arms...” 

“And you want to continue being with me?” 

“Definitely again.” 

“And you see some sort of future?” 

“Aye, I do. Not sure how it will work, but it’ll work out.” 

“Then I think all of that means love. You just make me feel good, Ragnar. You make me feel loved. Only one other man has done that for me.” She kissed me on the tip of my nose and let me go, getting on the bed on all fours, positioning herself near the edge of the bed, grabbing a couple of pillows to rest her head. 

I poured a little oil on her arse and started to get her ready, using my tongue at first, as I would happily eat her arse first, before I slid a couple of fingers in. But she was quickly asking me to just fuck her. “I want it,” she pleaded, “Just give me your cock.” 

Knowing it was going to hurt her, I also wanted to fuck her, so lubed up my cock properly before positioning my head at that tight little hole. She cried out when I slid the head of my cock inside her, hearing her suck in a deep breath, and I stopped immediately. Once she gave me the go ahead with a nod, I slid a little bit more in each time, thrusting ever so slowly as I allowed her to adapt, getting a little faster each time. Once she took my entire length, I would slowly thrust all the way in and out again, just enjoying the tightness of her arse, and she was definitely enjoying it, looking back with a broad grin on her face. 

“Ragnar?” she breathed, “Fuck me hard.” 

“You sure?” She nodded, holding back her hands so I could grab her. I know I smiled, and hers broadened even more. 

“You’re in charge now. Make me yours completely.” 

My hand was large enough to hold both her wrists, and I quickly started to pound her, giving her arse a hard slap at the same time. The noises she was soon making suggested that she was loving it. And I mean absolutely loving it. Continual cries of ‘yes’ and praise of my prowess as a lover and the size of my cock. And the obligatory ‘fuck me’ or ‘fuck me harder’. 

Thrusting into her even harder and faster, I pulled her back so her back rested against my chest, feeling her feet against my legs. She turned her head to kiss me before she leaned her head back. “Gods, I’ll never get tired of your cock being inside me.” 

“And it’ll never get tired of being inside you, Haelga,” I grunted in return, feeling my climax starting to approach. 

“You want to cum?” I nodded. “Your choice. Where?” 

“Oh, this is going in only one place and that’s where my cock currently is.” 

“Just what I wanted to hear,” she whispered before kissing me again. I kept an arm wrapped around her body as I started to fondle her pussy, her body almost jolting out of my grip. She moved my hand back around her body and started to fondle herself. “I can do that. You just focus on fucking me.” 

I wasn’t going to last too much longer, and I pushed her back down to the bed flat. I fell on top of her, holding myself up just by my forearms, so she could still fondle herself, as I proceeded to just pound her as hard as I could. To my surprise, she absolutely loved it, crying out for me to keep going, and it was all just a little bit too much for me in the end, burying myself deep one last time as I felt myself unload, groaning loudly into her ear, laced with plenty of colourful language about how good she felt. 

Once I felt empty, I stayed where I was for a short time, Haelga turning her head so I could lay a soft kiss on her lips. “Okay?” I asked quietly. 

“Now I really love you, Ragnar,” she whispered, “Just what I wanted. My man to take charge.” 

“How do you mean?” 

“I’ll explain once you’re no longer buried in my butt.” 

We took a couple of minutes to clean up, surprised that she made no complaint at all about any pain. In fact, she hummed a tune to herself as she sorted herself out, a constant smile, blissfully happy at what just occurred. Joining me back on the bed, she cuddled into me, immediately running a hand up and down my body as we kissed again. 

“I like to be submissive, Ragnar,” she admitted, “Only in the bedroom, and not all the time, but I like not being in control. But there’s only one other man I’ve been like that with. But I trust you completely, and know I can give myself to you in such a way that I know you’ll never hurt me intentionally. Nor accidentally, if I’m honest.” 

“I’ve heard of things like that, but I’m used to just… you know, sex.” 

“You’re young, Ragnar. And this is certainly something only those who practice the Dibellan arts would be aware of. Would experimenting with me in certain ways interest you?” 

“Yes, it would, particularly if it makes you happy.” 

“Ragnar, just looking at you naked makes me wet. The idea of you taking complete control of me? I could probably orgasm just thinking about it.” That gave me a good chuckle. “But we’ll have to talk about it, and there will be some learning on your side.” 

“I think I’ll have the perfect teacher though.” I paused before asking, “This is just for the bedroom, right?” 

“Absolutely. And, as I said, not all the time. I love it when you are soft and gentle with me as we make love. I love it when you’re a little bit rougher when you just fuck me senseless. But there’s another level above that which we can explore.” 

I’ll admit, it sounded interesting, and it was with Haelga, then I knew I was going to enjoy it immensely. I didn’t quite know what to expect, but she appeared to know what she was talking about, so she’d be the perfect guide. We eventually fell asleep together. Waking up at dawn as always, we made love again, her legs and arms wrapped around me as it was far softer and sensual than the night before, our climaxes barely a thought before we finally had to part. 

At the front door, we embraced and kissed for long enough that her niece cleared her throat. I chuckled as Haelga blushed, telling me to be careful whatever I was up to, before I kissed her softly a final time and headed out. 

Heading down to the cistern, I changed into my new armour and grabbed everything I needed, Brynjolf wishing me good luck and to be careful before I left. Mounting my new horse, I pointed it in the direction of travel and gave it a good kick in the ribs. It didn’t move fast but I knew it would get me to Windhelm within the day. 

Little did I know how my life was going to change within the next couple of days. Everything was a lie.


	7. The Betrayal

The journey took me two days in all. Though having my own horse meant I could technically travel a little faster, in reality I barely moved any faster than the cart. Digging my heels into the ribs of my horse barely had it trotting along, and I could forget about a canter. I was left thinking horses native to Skyrim were hardy beasts, built for the cold, but not made for speed. 

Though it was still light by the time I made it to Windhelm, it was fading fast, and I didn’t particularly want to ride during the evening. The temperature dropped the further north I travelled, and while it was a bleak, desolate but rather beautiful landscape, I didn’t want to be caught outside during an evening. I’d probably be dead by morning.

I made it to Winterhold by the lunch the next day and left my horse at the inn, paying the innkeeper a few septims to give it some food and look after it if I wasn’t back by the evening. Heading back south, I had a map and a rough idea of where Snow Veil Sanctum was, and thanks to the fact the land was rather flat and white, any sort of burial mound did stand out. 

Despite my Nordic blood, I still kept my coat wrapped tight, the wind whipping snow into my face, and the breeze would have stopped even the hardiest of travellers after a couple of hours. Thankfully I found the ruin, Mercer standing at the top of the steps that would lead us inside. Walking down to the entrance, there was a door covered in a mural that I certainly couldn’t decipher. I figured it was locked, and it was Mercer who stepped forward. 

“They say that these ancient Nordic burial mounds are sometimes impenetrable. This one doesn't look too difficult. Quite simple, really. I don't know what all the fuss is about these locks. All it takes is a bit of know-how and a lot of skill. That should do it. After you.” 

I gave him a look, as I didn’t particularly want to take the lead, but figuring I shouldn’t particularly argue, as he still looked rather pissed off, I unsheathed my sword and led the way. He warned me Karliah would have been smart enough to reset all the traps, so I stepped carefully, my eyes constantly moving side to side, up and down, while I stepped so softly, I’m sure Mercer wanted to order me to hurry up. 

Having never explored one of these ruins before, we soon ran into… creatures, monsters, I’m not sure, but Mercer called them draugr. Asking what they were, he said they were undead, ancient Nordic warriors, who always seemed to guard these sort of ruins. All I could say is that they were ugly motherfuckers, tough to kill, and I was certainly glad that I had Mercer there for help. 

There were an endless number of traps too, and I’m sure it was only my prayers to the Eight that kept my head on my shoulders and all my limbs attached to my body. But I certainly bloodied my sword alongside Mercer, and we even seemed to make a decent team. His prowess with his dual blades left me wondering what he did before being a thief. 

Entering on chamber, after killing all the draugr inside, he mentioned that the wall on the far side was a ‘word wall’. “What’s a word wall?” I wondered. 

“I’m not sure as the words on them are written in a language no-one understands.” 

Walking towards it, I’m sure I started to hear… chanting. “You hear that?” 

“Hear what?” 

“Chanting.” 

“You losing your mind already, Ragnar?” 

Getting closer still to the world wall, it started to glow. Not the entire wall, just a small section of the writing. “What in oblivion is going on?” I muttered to myself. The closer I stopped, the brighter the glow, the louder the chanting. And then a word popped into my head. 

“Zun…” 

“What was that?” 

Pointing, I said, “On the wall here, the glowing bit, it says ‘Zun’.” 

“What glowing bit?” 

Looking back at him, I asked, “You don’t see it?” 

“I don’t see a damned thing except a fool looking at a wall he can’t possibly read.” 

I’m sure the word meant something, though why it glowed, why I heard chanting, and why I could apparently read one of the words, I guess I’ll never know. It was bloody weird, but I put it to the back of my mind as I joined Mercer at the exit of the chamber. 

We fought our way through more draugr, avoiding more traps, and I grew in confidence the further we travelled. It had been quite a while since I’d fought so often, so quickly, and was amazed I’d come out relatively unscathed, particularly as I wasn’t carrying a shield. Mercer killed a lot of draugr too, and I think was psyching himself up for the inevitable showdown with Karliah. I was just interested to see exactly who she was. 

Walking down a wide hallway, lights illuminated as we strode cautiously, Mercer now at my side. Murals lined each wall to the left and right, thought I wasn’t sure exactly what they were meant to depict. Ahead was an enormous door, covered in more murals, and there also appeared to be a special lock and puzzle to do. 

Not that Mercer was worried. “Ah, it's one of the infamous Nordic puzzle doors. How quaint. Without the matching claw, they're normally impossible to open. And since I'm sure Karliah already did away with it, we're on our own. Fortunately, these doors have a weakness if you know how to exploit it. Quite simple, really.” 

I’m not sure what he did, but it took about a minute for him to work at it before there was a couple of clicks and the door started to open. “Karliah's close, I'm certain of it. Now let's get moving.” 

Following him into the next room, I probably took half a dozen steps forward before I heard the sound of an arrow fired. I felt a slight thud into my chest, looking down to see an arrow sticking out of me. “Well, that’s not good,” I muttered. 

I’d never been shot with an arrow before, so didn’t really know what I should be feeling. I was amazed at the lack of pain. What I didn’t expect was for all feeling to leave my body, and I pretty much dropped straight to the ground straight away. I could still move my head at least, managing to lift it to see and hear what happened next. 

Karliah appeared to blossom out of thin air, bow raised, arrow nocked, waiting to fire. Mercer didn’t remain still, never offering a target, but he didn’t close in on her either. He was cautious. “Do you honestly think your arrow will reach me before my blade finds your heart?” 

“Give me a reason to try.” Her voice was soft… almost kind. I’d go so far as to say beautiful. Strange… 

“You're a clever girl, Karliah. Buying Goldenglow Estate and funding Honningbrew Meadery was inspired.” 

“’To ensure an enemy's defeat, you must first undermine his allies.’ It was the first lesson Gallus taught us.” 

That didn’t sound like someone who would have murdered him. Did it? “You always were a quick study.” 

“Not quick enough, otherwise Gallus would still be alive.” She sounded utterly heartbroken saying those words. What the hell was… 

“Gallus had his wealth and he had you. All he had to do was look the other way.” 

Bastard. That fucking son of a bitch, cocksucking, motherfucking bastard. Oh, I had about a million thoughts all at once, of what I was going to do to that bastard… Once I was capable of moving at least. 

“Did you forget the oath we took as Nightingales? Did you expect him to simply ignore your methods?” 

Nightingales? What in oblivion are Nightingales? What was I now neck deep involved in? And how was it in any way tied to the Guild? Not that it mattered. What did matter was that I’d been lied to, and I’d fallen for it hook, line and sinker. I’d been a damned fool, not listening to that little voice that was telling me something was not quite right with Mercer. The rest of the Guild was fine. I had a good laugh with them. But something about Mercer had always rubbed me the wrong way, I’d just never been able to put a finger on it. 

Karliah disappeared, I assume taking some sort of invisibility potion. I’d heard of such things before. I’m not sure where she went, but she promised that, next time, she would kill him. I was left thinking I probably wouldn’t be around to see it. Oh well… 

Mercer stepped forward to stand over me, looking rather pleased with himself. “How interesting. It appears Gallus's history has repeated itself. Karliah has provided me the means to be rid of you, and this ancient tomb becomes your final resting place. But do you know what intrigues me the most? The fact that this was all possible because of you. Farewell. I'll be certain to give Brynjolf your regards.” 

Luckily I still had the power of speech, but all I could do was say, “Fuck you, Mercer.” That made me feel better. 

I didn’t feel the blade slide into my body, thankful that whatever I’d been poisoned with had left me with next to no feeling. Content I was going to die, Mercer sheathed his blade and disappeared from view. To be honest, I thought I was a goner too, particularly once I slipped into unconsciousness. 

* * *

When my eyes opened, they did so because of the searing pain in my chest, enough to make me groan rather loudly. But that meant I was alive, not that I was particularly overjoyed at that moment. It felt rather cold, and the ruin had been rather warm, looking down to see my armour had been removed and my wound sort of healed, my body wrapped in white cloth. 

A figure stood up from the nearby fire and crouched down next to me. “Easy, easy. Don't get up so quickly.” 

That voice. A man would never forget a voice like that. “Karliah?” Then I felt myself get a little angry, lifting myself up slightly. “Hang on a second, you bloody well shot me!” 

She gently pushed me by the shoulder back onto the bedroll, which explained at least a little of the warmth. “No,” she said kindly, “I saved your life. My arrow was tipped with a unique paralytic poison. It slowed your heart and kept you from bleeding out. Had I intended to kill you, we wouldn't be having this conversation.” 

“Well then why didn’t you shoot that fucker Mercer then?” 

“I promise you, the thought crossed my mind, but I never had a clear shot. I made a split-second decision to get you out of the way and it prevented your death.” 

“Well, thanks, I guess. Still don’t like being shot though.” 

“I had an antidote and have managed to heal you as best I can. I assume it still hurts?” I nodded. “You’ll have pain for a little while. I’m sorry, there’s not a lot I can do about it.” 

I just collapsed back on the bedroll as she stepped back towards the fire, dragging a small log she’d found and placed it near my bedroll. “Still think you should have shot him,” I muttered. 

“The poison on that arrow took me a year to perfect; I only had enough for a single shot. All I had hoped was to capture Mercer alive.” 

“Hang on, what? Take him alive? Take his fucking head, more like it!” 

She chuckled at my opinion though shook her head. “No… What’s your name?” 

“Ragnar. And I know yours, so that’s the introductions done.” 

“I’m sure you’ve heard all sorts of stories from Mercer. What do you think now?” 

“I’ll be honest, I’m not entirely sure. But I now believe Mercer killed Gallus, at least. I’m still not sure what your role in all this is?” 

“It’s a long story, Ragnar, and I promise I’ll tell you all about it one day. But as to why I want him alive, he must be brought before the Guild to answer for what he's done. He needs to pay for Gallus' murder.” 

“Well, I don’t think anyone would disagree with that motive, but how are you going to prove it?” 

“My purpose in using Snow Veil Sanctum to ambush Mercer wasn't simply for irony's sake. Before both of you arrived, I recovered a journal from Gallus' remains. I suspect the information we need is written inside.” 

“Wait, his body is still inside?” 

She looked away as she whispered, “What’s left of him.” 

“Sorry.” 

She glanced at me and shook her head. “It’s been a long time since that day. I’m sure Mercer no doubt mentioned our relationship. Yes, we were in love. But while that love remains, there is now a fury at what happened, and a sense that I will bring justice to Gallus and myself. Mercer must pay.” 

“Okay, the journal, what does it say?” 

“I wish I knew. It’s written in a language I’ve never seen before.” 

I held out my hand, thinking I might know. Opening the journal and looking at the first page, I immediately felt like an idiot. If she couldn’t read it, what chance did I have? I could read, but I wasn’t the most literate of men around, and the language used by Gallus was incomprehensible. “Do you think anyone out there would recognise it, and more importantly, be able to translate it?” 

Karliah remained silent for a couple of minutes before she clicked her fingers. “Enthir! He might be able to help us.” 

“And Enthir is?” 

“Gallus' friend at the College of Winterhold. He’s the only outsider Gallus trusted with the knowledge of his Nightingale identity.” 

“I keep hearing about these Nightingales. Who or what are they?” 

“There were three of us: Myself, Gallus and Mercer. We were an anonymous splinter of the Thieves Guild in Riften. Perhaps I'll tell you more about it later, like everything else I promised to tell you. Right now, you need to head for Winterhold with the journal and get the translation.” 

“You’re sending the walking wounded to do this? I need to get back to Riften and alert everyone.” 

“I have important things to do, Ragnar. Most importantly, lay Gallus’ remains to rest. But you are right, you do need to return to Riften, though _only_ after speaking with Enthir. I simply don’t feel comfortable revealing my whereabouts to anyone else for the time being.” 

“Can I have a few more hours shut eye?” 

“Sure. I’ll give you a shake when it’s light.” 

I fell asleep pretty quickly, and I think she gave me a good few hours, as by the time she shook me awake, I think it had been light for a while. She had a few supplies so gave me something to nibble on. Asking how she would get around, considering her horse was dead, she admitted she usually walked everywhere, so once she had laid Gallus to rest, she would start to head south. My armour was nearby, so I tried dressing myself, but found spreading my arms difficult, enough that Karliah offered to help. Despite the situation, I noticed her eyes have a glance at my chest. 

“You’re younger than I’d imagine most who work with the Guild. Why did Mercer bring you along?” 

“I may have been the one to stop your Goldenglow and Honningbrew operations.” 

She gave me a look; I think of slight admiration. “So that was you, eh? Colour me impressed.” 

“I’ll have to explain to Maven everything too. I’m not sure of the relationship between her and Mercer.” Karliah shrugged, so figured she wouldn’t know either. “The more allies to bring him down, the better, I reckon.” 

Once I was in my armour, weapons attached to my belt, we doused the fire and split up, Karliah heading back into the ruins, while I wrapped my coat tight and headed north to Winterhold. I attempted to get into the College, but the elf at the edge of the bridge was having none of it, though when I said I was looking for Enthir, I was pointed back to Winterhold and the inn there. 

After introductions, he was very excited when I handed over the journal, though it was too good to be true to think he would have all the answers. No, but while he couldn’t translate it, he knew what it was. Falmer language. “Who the bloody hell are the Falmer?” I wondered. 

He gave me a very brief explanation about who they were before pointing me in the right direction. I was to head to the very westerly region of Skyrim, to a city called Markarth. There, I would find a scholar by the name of Calcelmo, the court wizard of the city, and he would have the answers, though he could be rather obstinate. 

Thanking him for the information, I mounted my horse and headed south, as I was heading to Riften first. I stopped at Windhelm for the night, heading to bed early and sleeping for as long as possible, waking early and leaving just as dawn was breaking. The ride was harder than usual, as the pain in my chest lingered all the way. By the time I stabled my horse, I was exhausted again. Walking into the Bunkhouse, I headed straight upstairs, where Haelga was at her desk. She took one look at me and cried out. I probably looked like shit. I certainly felt like it. I don’t even remember falling into bed… 

* * *

I woke up with a start, resting on my elbows, looking left and right. It was daylight, looking down to see my chest was still strapped, though the bandages looked fresh and the lingering pain had disappeared. I didn’t feel sick. I felt pretty good actually. Looking left, Haelga was at her desk, busy writing in her ledger. “Hello,” I said quietly. 

I gave her a little fright, as I noticed her jump slightly before she turned around, a wide grin on her face as she immediately made her way to the bed, sitting down next to me. “How are you feeling?” 

“I feel fine. What happened?” 

“You had an infection. Whoever healed your wound did a good job, but the blade used probably had some sort of poison.” 

“I think I must have had a double dose then. I took an arrow from one person and a blade from another.” 

“Gods,” she whispered, immediately hugging me tight, “What happened?” 

“We were betrayed. And now I have a job to do. I have to help clear someone’s name and take revenge on the bastard who tried to kill me.” I paused before asking, “Do I have a couple of neat scars at least?” 

She chuckled in my arms. “Yes, Ragnar, you do. You’re not going to rush off, are you?” 

“No, I’ll rest here today, at least. But time is of the essence. The man who tried to kill me has a hell of a head start and I have no idea where he is or what his plans are.” 

She pulled back to the blankets to join me under the covers, though she shuffled around a bit and eventually her dress was thrown onto the floor before she cuddled into me. I wrapped an arm around her at the same time. “Thanks for taking care of me.” 

“Ingun helped too. She smeared something or other on your wounds. They appear to have worked rather fast.” 

“How long have I been out?” 

“A day or so. Are you hungry?” 

“I probably will be a little later.” 

“We’ll eat here tonight. I’ll have Svana cook us something and bring it up here.” 

Haelga barely left my side all day, and it was little surprise to me that we ended up naked. I was still feeling rather tired, but that didn’t stop me from sliding a couple of fingers into her pussy as we made out, though I teased her by not bringing her to orgasm right away. I suggested she wait until after dinner and we went to bed. She pouted for a little while before whispering in my ear that she was probably going to pass out when she finally did. 

Svana was quiet and shy when she brought dinner up to us, noticing the glance she gave me, as I sat at the small table in just trousers, my chest still strapped up. I could see the eyes linger on my arms and shoulders, and she blushed when I met her eyes, suggesting that I noticed her looking at me. She quickly made her way downstairs, much to my amusement. 

Haelga chatted away about anything and everything, and I knew it was because she was worried about me. She’d accepted what I did, which was incredibly gracious, though I knew she’d prefer me not to do what I did. I still contemplated the Companions, but Haelga seemed to enjoy running the Bunkhouse. Something to think about… 

We stayed up, sipping at some wine, and she finally asked what I was involved in. I figured I owed her the truth, so I explained everything that had happened since the Goldenglow job. I glossed over a few details, but otherwise, I was truthful in what I found myself involved in. She thought it was all a bit nuts, and was left wondering where the thievery was actually occurring. I wondered the same thing at times… 

As usual, we ended up in bed together without any clothes on. I was on my back, cock buried inside Haelga as she rode me ever so slowly. She would normally have her hands on my chest, but while it was healed, it was still a little tender, so she was leaned further forward, hands beside my head. My hands were on that firm little arse of hers, though I left most of the work to her. 

“I was so scared when you walked in,” she admitted quietly, “I thought you were…” 

I cupped her cheek with a hand, her eyes closing. “I’m not going anywhere, Haelga.” 

She kept riding me, though she blinked rapidly, not doubt not wanting to cry as we made love. So she leaned down to kiss me briefly. “Always come back to me, Ragnar,” she pleaded, “Please…” 

Pulling her down to hold her against me, she stopped moving though my cock was still buried inside her. “I love you, Haelga,” I whispered, “Trust me, it will all work out in the end.” 

“I love you too, and I can’t bear the thought of anything happening to you. I accept what you do. I didn’t think it was going to be this dangerous.” 

“Once I have the man I want, things should return to normal. And I’ll think of a new career.” 

“Promise?” 

“It’s either that or make enough coin so I can retire.” 

“I can accept that.” 

Lifting herself up, she began riding me slowly again. It was quite the tease, feeling herself lift herself up so my cock barely remained inside her before lowering herself down again. But it felt marvellous, and she was definitely enjoying it too. The compliments regarding my cock never stopped. There was only so much I could take before I grabbed her by the arse and started to thrust upwards into her, watching her breasts sway as she leaned forward to kiss me again, begging quietly for me to fuck her, pleading for me to cum inside her as always. 

I had learned since we had started our intimate relationship that she always came on top, and she was soon moaning in a manner I recognised. She started to bounce harder and faster as I fucked her, and I knew she was getting close when her breathing change, her cries growing louder, her body starting to writhe and shudder. So I just whispered that I found her beautiful and I’d love nothing more than for her to cum with my cock buried inside her. That made her smile… 

Then she had an orgasm. Feeling her pussy tighten around my cock as she climaxed, I pumped her for another couple of minutes before I enjoyed my own, and we immediately relaxed, Haelga resting on my chest, running my hand lightly up and down her back, tickling her slightly though all she did was giggle and ask me not to stop. 

That was us done for the night. I just held her until we went to sleep, holding her close and kissing her constantly. Once she turned over and nestled her body against mine, I held her as tightly as possible, and she sighed with contentment. “Will you leave in the morning?” 

“Yes. I’m off to Markarth to get some information.” 

“Markarth? That’s all the way on the other side of Skyrim!” 

“Two-day journey there probably. Then I’ll need to head back to Winterhold to link up with a possible new friend. Once I do that, we’ll head back here together to decide our next move.” 

“So you’ll be gone a while again?” 

I just gave her a gentle squeeze. “I’ll miss you.” 

“Will you seek the company of someone else?” 

“I’m not sure. I might be too busy.” 

“I’ll understand if you do though. You know I don’t mind.” 

“I’ll be honest about it. You know I will.” 

Because I was leaving for a few days again, we made love in the morning, Haelga not allowing me out of the bed until I left another load inside her. I certainly didn’t mind, and I definitely had a renewed spring in my step when we headed downstairs for breakfast. I noticed Grelka in there, and she gave me an appraising look, while Svana still couldn’t meet my eyes, blushing away. I was used to the attention, but it was still amusing to see. Haelga noticed and her look surprised me, suggesting ‘If you want to, go for it.’ Something to discuss on my return… 

After a last kiss and cuddle with Haelga at the front door, dressed in armour with my weapons, I didn’t bother heading down to see the Guild. I’d let them know what was going on when I returned from Winterhold with Karliah. Before leaving, though, I went looking for camping supplies. I had no real idea how long it would take to get to Markarth, the map only showing me the routes possible. The marketplace had nothing for me, and it was suggested I head into the Pawned Prawn. Thankfully the shop owner didn’t recognise me, and I walked out later with a tent, bedroll, and other supplies I’d need if I had to stop on the road. 

My guess was right, as it was a two-day journey to Markarth, avoiding Whiterun entirely by taking the southern route. I did camp in the wild along the way, and it was quite a nice night under the stars, the first time I’d done that since entering Skyrim. Stabling my horse at the stables outside the walls, I could only marvel at my first real look at the city. Nothing but solid stone. I knew next to nothing about the city, and my introduction via the city guards at the main gates certainly left me wondering what the hell I would be walking into. 

While I felt a lingering tension in the air, the city appeared to be at peace, and I made my way straight towards the keep, intent on getting the information I needed and heading straight back to Winterhold. After asking where Calcelmo was, I was pointed towards the edge of an archaeological site, and there I met a rather elderly gentleman, who was not particularly friendly, and definitely did not like being interrupted. 

“Look, I'm very busy, so this better be important.” 

“Professor, I’ve heard you’re a leading authority on all things Falmer. I’m here as I need your help.” 

“You were well informed. I am at this very moment on the cusp of completing my magnum opus on the subject. I'm calling it 'Calcelmo's Guide to the Falmer Tongue.' It will revolutionize the way we understand those ancient beings.” 

“Perfect. I have an issue that will require understanding their language. Don’t suppose you could let me have a look at it?” 

That riled him big time, waving his hands in the air as if I was a lunatic for even suggesting such an idea. “Preposterous! That research represents years of personal toil in some of the most dangerous Dwemer ruins in Skyrim! You must be mad to think I'd allow anyone to see it before it's completed.” 

Time to bullshit him. “Professor Calcelmo, I have been a great admirer of your work for my years. Your writings regarding the Dwarven race were sensational. I’ve learned so much.” 

I noticed him relax and even a slight smile formed. “What kind of a mentor would I be if I denied a potential student a glimpse at his master's ingenuity! Here, this key will provide access to my museum. Feel free to browse for as long as you wish. However, I must insist that my laboratory remains strictly off limits.” 

So, his laboratory was through his museum and I was going to need to sneak into that. Fair enough, that was doable. The museum was full of dwarven artefacts that I pretty much ignored, and the guards barely took any notice of my presence. Sneaking out of the museum wasn’t particularly difficult, ending up in a hallway which led in various directions, including what I think might have been Calcelmo’s bedroom. 

The laboratory was full of guards too, and I didn’t particularly want to cut and kill my way through them. Instead, I rolled one of the dwarven barrels towards the edge of an overhang and climbed way up, and that’s where I hit the jackpot. I couldn’t read the stone tablet, but I recognised it as similar writing to the journal. Sneaking further into the laboratory, I found a tome that already had plenty of translations, more than enough for Enthir to at least make a little sense of the journal, but just in case, I took a rubbing of the stone tablet. Then I got the hell out of there before someone found me. 

All this work had barely taken me a couple of hours, but it was still rather late by the time I headed back towards the city gates. I could have ridden for a couple of hours and camped, but there was an inn near the gates that no doubt sold hot food, cold drinks and hopefully a warm bed, so I wandered inside. 

Taking a seat at the bar, I was astounded at the argument taking place between the gentleman behind the bar and a woman who was busy cleaning. I was left thinking they were husband and wife, and only clearing my throat grabbed his attention, ordering a meal, tankard of mead and a room for the night. The inn filled up as night fell outside, and I eventually found myself talking to a beautiful and petite but rather sad Breton woman by the name of Muiri. Lending an ear, she unloaded all her worries on me, and I must have proved rather attentive, as we soon ended up sitting close by the fire. 

“There’s something about you I can’t put my finger on,” she admitted. 

“How do you mean?” 

“Are you here about….” She paused, then shook her head. “No, never mind. You would have said something already.” 

“What?” 

“No, I can’t say, Ragnar. Forget I mentioned anything.” 

Though intrigued as to what she meant, I didn’t pursue it, as it was obviously personal. Though I felt an attraction, what she’d unloaded on me about her previous partner, and then what happened in Windhelm, suggested that I shouldn’t just take advantage of her, though I was polite enough to walk her home. She wasted no time kissing me on her doorstep, and I think it was only me wishing her goodnight, after a good few minutes, that stopped her from inviting me inside. 

But I found myself with a definite reason to visit Markarth again. She was stunning. 

Riding from south-west to north-east Skyrim took nearly three days. I was fed up walking back into the Frozen Hearth Inn in Winterhold, heading straight downstairs to where Enthir was hopefully still waiting. He was, as was Karliah, who had removed her hood, revealing a youthful, beautiful face. I know I stared at her for a good few seconds before Enthir cleared his face, causing me to blush before handing over everything I had. 

“I’m going to need a little time to decipher this. Give me twenty-four hours.” 

With that, he disappeared, I assume back to the college. That left Karliah and I alone, so we headed upstairs to grab a bite to eat and a drink. The inn was deserted otherwise, left thinking there wasn’t much to Winterhold except the college, though Karliah and I still sat alone in a corner, talking quietly. She enquired as to what I’d been up to, and was very apologetic when I told her about the infection. I said it wasn’t her fault, that it was probably Mercer’s fault, but I thanked her for caring. 

“There’s still a long way to go, Ragnar. Though Enthir can possible translate his journal, that doesn’t mean they will believe us. And who knows where Mercer is now.” 

“I have a feeling he hadn’t returned to Riften. No-one was on the lookout for me, though if he told them I was dead… Thanks again, by the way.” 

“Couldn’t let a good looking young man such as yourself be left to die.” I know I looked at her in surprise. “What? I have long since mourned Gallus. But it was upsetting finding him there as he was.” 

“I didn’t think… Um…” 

“Don’t think too hard, Ragnar. I merely paid you a compliment.” 

“You’re gorgeous,” I blurted out. Gods, I felt like I was eighteen again, and I’d barely touched a woman. Still, I was pleased that it made her blush. 

“Thank you,” she said quietly, “I can’t remember the last time anyone said something nice to me.” 

“I was left wondering what you looked like the first time I heard your voice. I thought to myself ‘That isn’t the voice of a murderer’.” I guess I have a thing for certain accents. 

“And so you now think I have a lovely voice and I’m gorgeous?” 

“Aye.” 

“I’m not sure if you’re trying to be smooth and get in my panties, or just trying to be nice…” 

“Why not both?” I asked, hiding my smile by draining my tankard. 

That made her blush, looking away from me. “Not now. There is too much still to do.” 

Still, she hadn’t said no, so maybe there was something there. As there was no-one in the inn, Karliah and I paid for a room each, though we were both rather drunk by the time we headed to bed. I think Karliah needed to let her hair down and relax, just for a couple of hours, while I drunkenly proclaimed I would protect her from anyone who dare think of doing her harm. She just called me an idiot, and we eventually shared the same bed. Still dressed and all, both of us waking in the morning with a hangover and slightly embarrassed. 

Enthir turned up just after breakfast, admitting that breaking the translation code was relatively simple, and he had a near full translation of the journal. He explained what he had discovered. I didn’t understand much of it, and Karliah broke it down for me. Mercer had desecrated a shrine of the Nightingales, and for that alone, he must be killed. 

With no horse of her own, Karliah had join me on mine, making sure all of supplies were secure before we journeyed as quickly as we could back to Riften. We had to camp on the way back once we were well past Windhelm. With only one bedroll and few furs, we had to snuggle to stay warm, not that either of us complained. I’m not arrogant suggesting there was already an attraction, but she was right. We couldn’t afford distraction with what possibly lay on the horizon. 

Making it back to Riften in the late afternoon the next day, I stabled my horse and we headed into the city itself. I’m not sure why, but I felt tense, almost as if we were being watched. Karliah felt it too and mentioned it as we tried to stroll casually towards the Ratway. I figured taking the secret entrance would probably get us killed. 

Thankfully the Ratway was empty of life, so we made it the Flagon without incident. I could feel her tense up as we passed by the bar, Vekel looking our way, towel in hand as he cleaned it down, but if he recognised Karliah, he gave no indication. I knew where everyone else was waiting for us though, and before we entered the cistern, Karliah grabbed my forearm and asked that I follow her lead. 

Brynjolf, Vex and Delvin were armed and ready for us. Behind them in a line were the rest, some armed with bows, arrows nocked, waiting to fire. Others were armed with blades, ready to get in on the action if ordered. Karliah showed no fear as she stepped towards them. I stayed by her side, glancing to see that, despite her cool exterior, her hands were shaking. I probably surprised her by taking her right hand in my left until we were stood in front of Brynjolf, where I did let her hand go. 

Brynjolf looked at me first. “You better have a damn good reason to be here with that murderer.” 

“Do you trust me, Bryn?” 

He was silent a few seconds before he nodded. “Aye, I do, lad.” 

“Then listen to what Karliah has to say.” 

“Please, lower your weapons so we can speak. I have proof that you've all been misled!” 

Brynjolf looked at me again and I nodded. “No tricks, Karliah, or I'll cut you down where you stand. Now what's this so-called proof you speak of?” 

She took the original and translated journals from her pocket, holding them out towards him. “I have Gallus' journal here, and a translated copy so you can understand what he wrote. I think you'll find its contents disturbing.” 

Brynjolf looked left at Vex, then right at Delvin, before he sheathed his weapon and took the journals. He walked towards Mercer’s desk, everyone following him, as he placed both copies down. He first flipped through the original journal, realising quickly it was written in the Falmer language, before he started reading the translated journal. It was quite easy to see the blood drain from his face with each page he read. “It can’t be,” he muttered. 

Karliah sighed, possibly with relief, maybe because she knew it was all true regardless. “It's true, Brynjolf. Every word. Mercer's been stealing from the Guild for years, right under your noses.” 

There was an argument between Brynjolf and Delvin about whether such a crime would be possible. Vex wasn’t entirely convinced either, but by now, everyone had sheathed their weapons, waiting for the outcome. It took for the opening of the vault for everyone’s lives to come crashing to the ground. I think Delvin wanted to collapse to the ground and weep. Vex was ready to commit bloody murder. Brynjolf just looked so disappointed, I wanted to give the man a hug. 

He immediately took command, sending people up to the surface to watch the gates and the city, Delvin and Vex to watch the Flagon. 

Brynjolf was now a believer, as was I. I had been since Mercer admitted it all in Snow Veil Sanctum, but I felt relief that everyone else now believed Karliah. The three of us sat around the desk as Karliah explained absolutely everything that happened. Her voice caught more than once, particularly when talking about Gallus, taking her hand to give at least a modicum of comfort. By the end, all Brynjolf could say was, “I’m sorry.” 

Karliah returned a crooked grin. “It’s not your fault, Brynjolf. Mercer had everyone fooled.” 

“We could never make it up to you.” 

“And you don’t have to. You believe me. Now all you need to do is help me bring Mercer to justice.” 

“Aye, lass, that’s what we’re definitely going to do. First, we need to know what Mercer was up to.” He looked at me. “That’s where you come in again, lad. Mercer has his own house called Riftweald Manor. It’s next door to the Black-Briar Manor. Get inside and see what you can find.” 

“Any chance I can just bust down the front door?” 

“No. Mercer was paranoid and barred nearly all entrances. You’ll need to talk your way past Vald, then make your way up to the second floor entryway.” I stood up and that’s when he added, “And if that big bastard gets in your way, and if anyone else gets in your way, kill them.” 

“Are you sure?” 

He nodded. “Aye, lad. It’s time to go on the offensive. Riften and all of Skyrim will learn the Thieves Guild is back.”


	8. Road to Revenge

Vex surprised me by admitting she had been intimate with Vald, though she added that what occurred wasn’t actually intimate. “He fucked me, came, then left me to finish myself off each time.” 

“And you did this more than once?” 

She shrugged. “He has a big cock.” She paused and smirked, “Same as someone else I’ve heard about.” 

I know my eyebrows raised at that admission. “Seriously?” 

“Women like to share details, Ragnar. And those details have even made it down here.” She cleared her throat. “Anyway, Vald owes a debt to Maven. I think the only reason he’s still breathing is that he was willing to work for Mercer.” 

“So I should probably just talk to Maven then?” 

“Vald is an idiot, so yes, see what the issue was from Maven and maybe you can get Vald out of the way. Though I think you’re big enough to take him, Vald does some talent in those arms.” 

Sighing to myself, as it was just more legwork, I headed up to the surface and knocked on the door of the manor again. It was opened by one of the men this time, not sure of his name, and asked to see Maven. He let me in and I was escorted upstairs to what looked like her bedroom, though Maven was sat at a desk. She appeared rather amused to see me, though I’m sure that was because she didn’t know what was going on. “This is becoming a common occurrence, Ragnar.” I wasn’t sure if that was a threat or not. She actually _smiled_ when I didn’t say anything. “Come now, Ragnar, take a seat. I won’t bite. I think it’s safe to say that you’re definitely in my good books.” 

I took a seat nearby and explained what I wanted. That’s when she actually laughed. “You actually want to help that idiot? Why?” 

“Guild business. I’ll explain everything once the issue is sorted. I’m not sure you’ll want to know yet.” I think my tone carried enough that even she wouldn’t ask questions. Well, except for… 

“This won’t bite me in the arse, will it?” 

“No, Maven. Your arse will be just fine.” Gods, did I just… flirt with Maven Black-Briar? What made it even weirder is that she giggled and I think was maybe a tiny bit… interested. Okay, I needed out right now, so cleared my throat and asked, “What did he do exactly?” 

Once she’d explained everything, I figured either myself or someone else would be going for a swim. Thanking her for the information, I headed out towards the docks straight away. There were plenty of rowboats, but I knew I couldn’t swim to the bottom to find the quill. So I went looking for an Argonian and eventually found one in the fishery building. The first couple wouldn’t even listen to me, but the third was willing to hear me out, and with the promise of a coin pouch, she agreed to help. 

With a rough idea of where Vald had shipwrecked, the Argonian undressed to her underwear and dove in. She was gone for a few minutes but eventually appeared carrying a strongbox. I took that first before helping her up onto the boat. Cracking the lock wasn’t the difficult, and the quill was amazingly dry, and there was even an inkpot too. I gave the Argonian anything else within it, a few coin and jewels, which made her rather happy, and I rowed us back to shore. 

I think I was making a habit of impressing Maven Black-Briar, as when I handed the quill over, I think I left her a little speechless. “Ragnar, what I said about Ingun…” 

“Yes?” 

“I’d like you to have dinner with us one night, just you, my daughter and I. You’ve more than proven yourself.” 

“Um, you do realise…” 

“That you’re fucking Haelga?” She laughed. “Everyone knows, Ragnar. But it’s also known that she’s always had open relationships, even when she was married. And as Ingun apparently doesn’t mind that you’re fucking someone else, and possibly interested in her too, then you’re welcome to join us.” 

“I can do that once this situation with the guild is resolved.” 

“Very well. Just let me know when you would like to join us.” 

Vald didn’t even know what I was organising, so turning up with the letter releasing him from his debt made him very agreeable, handing over the key to Mercer’s house and letting me know others were inside. He suggested they were not the greatest of mercenaries, but I remained careful as I snuck up the ladder and carefully unlocked, opened and slipped inside. 

I moved quickly once I heard their footsteps, trying to kill as silently as possible. One fought better than I anticipated, and he got in a couple of good swings that, although I didn’t worry, made me cautious. But Vald was right in the end, and I managed to take down all four mercenaries without too much hassle. 

The house was empty, and after searching for an hour, I was ready to give up when a cabinet I’d looked at a couple of times had me thinking. Pressing my ear to the door, I was certain I heard a faint breeze, and a kick into the back of the cabinet revealed a hidden passageway. Always careful, I managed to avoid the traps Mercer had set, and I eventually found myself in a hidden office. It was full of information I could take back to Brynjolf and Karliah, including plenty of maps that appeared to reveal numerous locations for possible heists, correspondence between Mercer and unknown clients, that were more than likely private affairs rather than Guild issues. I made sure I took all the gold and jewels on offer, but the one prize that took my eye was the sword in a locked display case. 

An elbow into the glass smashed the lid and I grabbed the sword, recognising straight away that the blade was enchanted. Making my way back to the front door, it took a couple of swings of my other sword to smash the wooden bar to get the door open. Once back out into the city, I headed straight back to the Ratway and the Flagon. 

Karliah, Brynjolf, Vex and Delvin were all sitting at a table, obviously waiting for me to return. They didn’t ask what took so long. All they wanted to know was if I was successful. I’m sure I looked rather smug when I laid down everything. “Oh, and I also took this rather nice sword for myself,” I added. 

“That’s Chillrend,” Delvin whispered with admiration, “The bastard had it?” 

“In a display case, locked tight. So I smashed and grabbed.” 

That caused a few chuckles as I grabbed chair, two of them shuffling out of the way, as the four looked over everything I grabbed. It remained quiet for at least a few minutes before Brynjolf exclaimed, “Shor’s balls!” 

Everyone shut up and looked at him. “What is it?” Karliah wondered. 

“The son of a bitch is going after the Eyes of the Falmer. That was Gallus's pet project!” 

“I remember,” Karliah said quietly, and bitterly. 

“Guys, if he gets his hands on them, you can be certain he'll be gone for good and set up for life.” 

“Then we stop the bastard,” I practically growled. 

“Aye, that we do, lad. He's taken everything the Guild has left, and to go after one of the last greatest heists is just an insult.” 

“Does anyone have a plan though?” Delvin wondered, “He’s either anticipated our every step, or been two steps ahead so far.” 

Brynjolf rolled up all the paperwork, placing it in the middle of the table, before he spoke. “Mercer Frey tried to kill Ragnar and Karliah. He betrayed the Guild and all of us. He murdered Gallus and made us question our future. He needs to die.” 

All eyes turned to Karliah. While agreeing, she retorted, “We have to be very careful, Brynjolf. Mercer is a Nightingale, an Agent of Nocturnal.” The rest of us all shared glances. I wasn’t concerned. I’d probably fought worse opponents. Brynjolf was naturally worried about taking on someone he’d once called a leader and a friend. Vex wanted blood. I think Delvin just wanted it all over. “Listen, the four of you. We need to prepare ourselves and meet Mercer on equal footing. Just outside of Riften, beyond the Southeast Gate, is a small path cut up the mountainside. At the end of that path is a clearing and an old standing stone. I'd ask Ragnar and Delvin to meet me there tomorrow morning. Vex and Delvin, if you’re interested, I can induct you at a later time.” 

“Shouldn’t we…” 

“No, Brynjolf. You should prepare yourself mentally for what we are about to do. Once we leave to face Mercer, we either return victorious… or we don’t return at all.” The other three understood what she meant and left me alone with Karliah, I guess to be alone with their thoughts and prepare themselves. She sat up from her chair and sat next to me. I took her hand and looked at her. She removed her hood. “Sorry, force of habit.” 

“Maybe when this is all over, you can forget about wearing it at all…” 

“Still trying to charm me?” 

I shrugged. “I’m generally honest about things like that.” 

“What are your plans this evening?” 

It was time to be honest. “I will probably spend the night with Haelga.” 

I was surprised when she smiled. “Ah, the Dibellan worshipper. I’ve heard the rumours, or should I say stories.” Before I could ask, she quickly added, “Brynjolf has a big mouth. And I think Vex is a little jealous. But you are still interested in me?” 

“Haelga and I have an agreement. Don’t get me wrong, I love her, but we have also agreed to an open relationship. She says she won’t be with other men, but if she does want to be with another, particularly as I might not always be around, I’m willing to accept it, just as she accepts that I may want to sleep with other women.” 

“Oh… And I assume you’ve done that already?” 

I shrugged. “A couple of times. Generally, only when I’m away from Riften for a while. But if I were to meet someone I really liked in Riften, she won’t mind.” 

“I’ve heard you have your eye on Ingun Black-Briar. Playing with fire there…” 

“Oh, I’ve done Maven a couple of favours so she’s fine with it now. In fact, I have an invitation to join her and Ingun for dinner.” 

“Careful, Ragnar. She’s a widow and might be tempted by some young, fresh meat.” 

“Such a thought has already crossed my mind, to be honest. Not in the sense I want to fuck her, but I have a feeling an offer might be made.” 

“So where does that leave you and I?” 

“I’m not sure. Let me ask you bluntly; are you interested in me?” 

“Yes.” 

I couldn’t help smile. “Good, because that interest is returned.” She blushed again. “So here is my suggestion. We find Mercer. Kill him. Head back here. See what happens. Neither of us makes any promises. If it works, great. If it doesn’t, we keep it professional.” 

She kissed my cheek and whispered, “Deal.” 

Karliah suggested she would relax for the rest of the day, and after I had a quick word with Brynjolf, I headed back up to the city and into the Bee and Barb. Haelga was busy cleaning up, the room otherwise empty, but stopped everything as soon as she saw me, wrapping her arms around me and the kiss we shared had me rising to the occasion very quickly indeed. Holding her tight to my body, she definitely felt it as she started to giggle. “Not right now,” she whispered, “Though I definitely want you right now…” 

“How about a quickie?” 

She smiled and looked around. She grabbed my hand and led me to one of the tables. She sat down and rest back on her forearms, allowing me to reach under her dress to take off her panties. I took those off and inhaled her scent, which made my cock throb with anticipation. Dragging her forward, I undid my belt and unbuttoned my trousers, freeing my cock. I groaned loudly as I slid inside her, leaning down so we could share a deep kiss. 

I didn’t lie about a quickie, as I was soon fucking her hard and fast. She made no complaint, wrapping her legs around me but leaving them loose enough so I could really give it to her. We were soon making quite a lot of noise, fiddling with the buttons on her dress so I could free her breasts, tearing at her bra to free them so I could suck on her nipples. “Oh gods,” she cried. 

If I wasn’t kissing her, I was giving her breasts plenty of attention. I was lasting far longer than I thought, and eventually just had my palms placed on the table, my face not far from hers, groaning and growling as I fucked her. 

“Oh my!” I heard someone say. I turned to see Svana holding a mop, having already dropped the bucket of water. I thought she would have turned away or said something, but she simply stood there watching me fuck her aunt. 

“Don’t stop, Ragnar,” Haelga cried. Shrugging, I returned my attention to Haelga, kissing her again as I resumed fucking her. I forgot all about Svana as I continued to bury myself. Haelga eventually grabbed me and shuffled herself backwards, knocking everything off the table until she was lying flat, lifting her legs high and wide and begged for me to finish inside her. “Fuck me!” 

“You’re getting a bucketful of cum inside you in about two minutes, Haelga.” 

“I can’t wait!” 

Wrapping her arms around my neck, we kissed as I continued to pound her, and it wasn’t long until I felt the urge to cum. She must have been able to read my eyes, as all she did was break the kiss and say, “Fill me up, Ragnar.” 

I groaned loudly as I buried my cock a last time and empty myself. It was one hell of a good orgasm, and considering it had been a few days since we’d last fucked, I felt rather tired once I was finished. She just held me close to her, kissing my cheek and whispering in my ear that she loved me. “Is she still there?” I whispered. 

Haelga moved her head. “No, she’s gone now. Maybe she’s gone to masturbate about what she saw?” 

That gave me a chuckle. “Despite the fact it was her aunt?” 

“Oh no, she’d be imagining she was the one getting fucked.” She pushed me up slightly. “I’ve seen the looks she’s been giving you, Ragnar. That girls definitely thinks you’re handsome.” 

“So…?” 

“If you want to fuck her, then fuck her. And before you ask, I’m being serious. Just don’t get weird and suggest a threesome with me involved. That’s a bit too far.” 

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” 

We eventually lifted ourselves off the table. I packed myself away as I handed back her panties. She just put them in her pocket, insisting she would go without panties the rest of the day. “Maybe I’ll feel a little of your cum slide down my legs?” she whispered. All she did was quickly take off her bra before doing up the top of her dress. “Now, I really should get back to work, Ragnar. What are you doing the rest of the day?” 

“Nothing, to be honest. I will be heading off again soon, though. That issue I’m dealing with should hopefully we resolved completely within the week.” 

“Good. Why don’t you just head to the inn and I’ll join you in a couple of hours?” 

That sounded like a fine plan, so I went and sat in my usual chair, slowly drinking a couple of tankards. Ingun was the first to arrive, and she sat down opposite me. I mentioned what her mother had suggested, and she thought, though a little weird, she liked the idea of me being invited into her home, thinking it was also an invitation that I could spend the night with her too. That’s what I hoped as well, though didn’t mention the possibility her mother was actually interested in me too. I was still trying to wrap my head around that one, and wondering what would happen when I turned her down. 

Ingun had departed by the time Haelga appeared, with Svana in tow, which was a real surprise. I offered to buy them dinner and a round of drinks. Svana could barely meet my eyes, spending nearly the entire meal blushing, Haelga I think wanted to joke about it but remaining silent. Eventually I had to ask, “Like what you saw?” Svana looked at me wide-eyed, her cheeks very red, before she nodded silently. “Get a good look?” 

Svana leaned forward. “It’s so big,” she whispered. 

“Gods yes!” Haelga exclaimed quietly. 

I figured blunt would work. “You’re interested?” 

“I am, but you’re clearly with my aunt.” 

“Oh, I don’t mind sharing him with my niece. He’ll probably make you pass out with pleasure. You don’t get him tonight though.” 

“And you’re interested in me?” Svana asked me. 

“I’ll be honest. I didn’t look at you in that way originally because you were her niece, and figured you’d be off-limits. But I’ve seen enough of your looks that suggested you were interested in me, and Haelga had it figured out rather quickly too. And the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. If you don’t me asking in front of your aunt, have you been with a man?” 

She blushed even more if possible and shook her head. “Ah, that’s different then. Do you really want me being your first? I say that because your aunt isn’t the only one I’m intimate with. While I will try and make your time special, Svana, it will not lead to anything permanent. And trust me on this one, you will think fondly of the first person you are with.” 

“Who was yours?” Haelga wondered. I’m surprised I hadn’t mentioned that, or maybe she wanted Svana to hear it so she would understand. 

“She was a working girl in Cheydinhal by the name of Ariel. She told me not to get feelings, but that was impossible. She was beautiful, funny, ambitious to leave the life, and she was my first. What didn’t help is that I continued to see her afterwards. She probably knew I was falling for her, but never made a big deal about it. Being run out of Cyrodiil was probably for the best, as I would have only ended up broken hearted by wanting something I couldn’t have.” 

“So what about me?” Svana asked. 

“It’s your choice in the end, but can I suggest something? Wait for a man who will definitely treat you right.” 

“You’re talking yourself down here, Ragnar,” Haelga stated, grabbing my hand and giving it a squeeze. 

“I’m just trying to do the right thing here. Svana, you’re a cute young thing, and while I would like to be your first, I’m merely giving my honest opinion.” 

She smiled and leaned across to kiss my cheek. “Thank you, Ragnar. And you’re right. I think I’ll just keep you in my imagination for now. Though perhaps it would be best if you two didn’t fuck so openly.” 

Now I felt myself blush. “Ah, that might have been my idea. It had been a few days since I’d seen Haelga…” 

We enjoyed a couple more drinks before heading back to the Bunkhouse. Svana hugged me before heading to her room, whispering in my ear that she would think about me that night. I knew what she meant and simply gave her arse a gentle squeeze. That earned a gasp in my ear as no doubt she had many thoughts at once. Kissing my cheek, she disappeared quickly. “That girl will have a couple of fingers inside herself in two minutes,” Haelga said as we headed to her room. 

Though I hadn’t gone into great detail about what I would be doing except that I could be away awhile, I knew Haelga was worried, as all she wanted was to hug me in the middle of the room. I held her tightly in return, her head resting on my chest, feeling her hands tight on my back. “You’re worried?” I asked quietly. 

“Admittedly, yes, I am. I’ve realised you must be good at your job, and a hell of a fighter, but…” 

“I’ll come back, Haelga. I promise.” 

She slowly undressed me first, her lips barely leaving my skin, sending shivers up and down my body, her lips soft against my hard skin. Coat, shirt, boots, trousers were all in a pile on the floor, and a rather large tent formed in my underwear by the time she put a thumb in either side and lowered them. While desperate to have my cock in her mouth, I returned the favour first, taking delight in undressing her, though she had no bra or panties on still. 

We pleasured each other with our mouths at the same time, and while her mouth on my cock was a distraction, I could eat her out without a problem nowadays as it was something we’d done often enough now. I always complimented her about how good she tasted, as she knew I’d happily bury my face in her pussy all day and night, simply pleasing her with my tongue. She suggested that, one day, she’d take me up on that offer in the future. 

I made her cum first, which always delighted me, though once her orgasm had passed, she could totally focus on me, and it didn’t take long for her to take another load in her mouth. I still loved the fact she swallowed without hesitation. I’d cum on her face a couple of times, which she also loved me to do, but she was generally far too eager to taste me than waste it by spraying over her face. 

Swinging around, she did her usual thing of laying herself down on my chest so I could run my fingers up and down her back. “I love you, Ragnar,” she whispered. 

“You just love the fact I gave you an orgasm.” 

She chuckled, giving me a squeeze, before she said, “But you know I do. And, despite what actually seem to do with your life, you’re a decent man. From what I can gather, you’re doing what you’re about to do for the right reasons.” 

“A woman’s life was destroyed. He tried to kill me. Our vengeance is justified.” I held her tightly before I whispered, “And I love you too, Haelga.” 

It didn’t take long for me to harden, and after I’d shuffled back into a seated position, Haelga slowly slid down my cock until our groins touched, then sat for a few minutes as we made out. I offered her the choice of fucking or falling asleep with my cock inside her, though she said that would simply be impossible. She couldn’t resist starting to bounce up and down on my cock, teasing me by doing it ever so slowly to start with, feeling her squeeze her pussy around my cock, something that felt awesome, leaving her smirking at the look on my face. I’m not sure how long we made love for, but having already shared one orgasm, a second one wasn’t particularly important. She just wanted me inside her, and I just wanted to be inside her. 

Haelga eventually ended up on her back as I slowly fucked her, our mouths barely parting, her hands all over my body, her legs wrapped around me as always, holding me as tightly as possible. There wasn’t much of the dirty talk that night. Only a lot of moaning, heavy breathing, and expressions of our love for each other. I’ll be honest, there was a thought forming in the back of my mind about asking for her hand in marriage when I returned, but I’m not sure if she’d accept an open marriage. 

“Cum in me,” she whispered. She’d already had an orgasm by now, but I had kept right on fucking her. I wanted it to last, as I figured I’d go straight to sleep afterwards. “Cum in me, Ragnar,” she repeated. 

“How much do you want it?” 

“I’d sell my soul for it.” 

“How much do you love me?” 

“More than anyone in my life ever.” Wow, I didn’t expect that response. It was enough to bring my thrusting to a momentary halt. “I don’t care what you do, Ragnar. All I know is that I love every moment we’re together, and it’s not just the sex.” She paused, before adding, “Okay, half of it is probably the sex. But there’s nothing wrong with that anyway.” 

Despite being inside her, I still asked, “Are you sure you don’t mind?” 

She knew what I meant and simply stroked my cheek. “It is the teachings of Dibella, Ragnar. She accepts that we love many. And so do I. I can’t deny the women of Skyrim the chance at being with you. Or having this magnificent cock inside them. Just as long as I get it more often than them.” 

“Well, considering some of the things we get up to, or might get up to in the future, that’s fairly assured, Haelga.” 

“Good. Now, as I said, cum inside me, Ragnar. You know I don’t like wasting it by cumming anywhere else in my pussy, mouth or arse.” 

I pretty much passed out when I came, holding myself up with a forearm as I recovered. Despite now dripping with sweat, Haelga had no problem holding me, her legs still wrapped tightly around me. “Still so hard,” she said quietly. 

I chuckled, “It’ll go down soon. Trust me. After an orgasm like that…” 

Once it did, Haelga immediately turned onto her side to face me. I kissed her forehead and held her close, head nestled under my chin. I was trying hard not to just fall asleep, as I wasn’t lying. I felt utterly drained, so when she asked, “Would you like to fuck my arse next?” I couldn’t help chuckle and suggested I was a little tired. She didn’t mind, and after she settled down, her arm around my side, she fell asleep rather quickly. I continued to just stroke her back as we lay in darkness, my thoughts turning to what would happen the next day and however many days afterward. 

We both enjoyed making love in the morning, and after waking up with her mouth wrapped around my cock, she quickly moved up so she could ride me to climax, and we timed it rather well so I could basically climax at the same time. It was the first time we’d properly managed it, and she started to get a little emotional. I don’t think it was that exactly, but she knew I was heading off again, and knew it was going to be dangerous. 

Dressing a little later, we headed downstairs for breakfast, Svana joining us this time, sitting next to me rather closely. Haelga noticed and shared a rather amused glance with me, though I said or did nothing other than fill myself with food. 

After an enormously long hug at the front door, Haelga couldn’t help herself, covering my face in kisses before her mouth found mine, and I eventually had to break it, cupping her cheek with my hand, watching her eyes close and a smile form at my touch. “I love you, Haelga. And you have my word. I will be back.” 

“I love you,” she whispered, hearing her voice catch. I knew she was worried. I hugged her a final time before I stepped out the door. 

Remembering Karliah’s instructions, finding the required standing stone didn’t take too long, Brynjolf and Karliah already waiting for me. I might have been late, suggesting I was spending a last few moments with Haelga before leaving. Both understood what I meant, as they were just as aware of the dangers as I was. 

Escorting us to Nightingale Hall, one would never have noticed the entrance, cut into the side of the cliff. I was all for becoming one with Nocturnal, particularly any advantage allying myself with her might give, but you could hear the hesitation in Brynjolf’s voice. I guess it was understandable, probably still in shock from learning about Mercer. Karliah did her best to convince him that becoming a Nightingale was the right course of action. 

The hall had fallen into disrepair over the past decades, though Karliah wasn’t too worried about that. She was worried about communing with Nocturnal herself, believing she would be rather displeased with everything. Entering the first main chamber, I noticed small piles of what looked like clothing on separate stones, each with what I assumed was Nocturnal engraved on it. Karliah asked us to don the Nightingale armour, stating that it was enchanted, and though had likely sat there for many years, it would be like it had just been made. 

The armour seemed to naturally fit to my body. Tapping the chest piece with my knuckles, I could feel its strength. The gloves were tight and it barely felt like I was wearing them at all. The boots were light and I figured they’d be noiseless. And the hood and face mask would allow almost complete anonymity, what every thief loves. It wasn’t skin tight, but it was certainly superior to the armour I’d been wearing, though I asked Karliah that I store that at the hall in case I wanted it again, as it was a rather recent purchase. She laughed but said it was fine. 

Karliah led us to what she called the oath chamber. We each stood on a separate platform as she began her summons. 

“I call upon you, Lady Nocturnal, Queen of Murk and Empress of Shadow. Hear my voice!” 

Nothing happened for a few seconds before there was a glow on the platform in front of us. I had no idea what it was, but I figured it wasn’t there to kill us… yet. 

“Ah, Karliah. I was wondering when I'd hear from you again. Lose something, did we?” 

I watched as Karliah actually took a knee and bowed her head, an act of submission. “My lady, I come before you to throw myself at your mercy and to accept responsibility for my failure.” 

“You're already mine, Karliah. Your terms were struck long ago. What could you possibly offer me now?” 

“I have two others that wish to transact the Oath; to serve you both in life and in death.” 

I guess I should have been slightly worried, as being a Nord and all, I still had dreams of Sovngarde upon death. But maybe Nocturnal’s realm, wherever that was, wouldn’t be so bad? Whatever the case, Karliah and Nocturnal talked between themselves, and after they struck an agreement, Brynjolf and I were accepted as Nightingale agents. I didn’t immediately feel any different. 

Once Nocturnal disappeared, happy with the fact she had two more souls, Karliah revealed the final act of Mercer’s treachery. “Mercer was unable to unlock the Guild's vault without two keys because of what he stole from the Twilight Sepulcher...the Skeleton Key. By doing this, he's compromised our ties to Nocturnal, and in essence, caused our luck to run dry.” 

I shared a glanced with Brynjolf, though unable to see his face, couldn’t read his thoughts. “So what? the key unlocks every door or something?” 

“Something like that, Ragnar. But the key isn't only restricted to physical barriers. All of us possess untapped abilities; the potential to wield greater power, securely sealed within our minds. Once you realize the key can access these traits, the potential becomes limitless.” 

“No wonder he wanted it, but I guess I can see the dangers in having such an item.” 

“Good, then you understand why this is about more than Mercer's lust for power. If the Key isn't returned to its lock in the Twilight Sepulcher, things will never be the same for the Guild. As time passed on, our luck would diminish to the point of non-existence. And whether you know it or not, our uncanny luck defines our trade.” 

“I’ve certainly walked out of buildings wondering how the hell I managed to pick the lock…” 

Wandering back through the hall, Karliah pointed in the direction of what had once been a bedroom. There wasn’t a lot of furniture, but Brynjolf had brought along the maps and other information needed to find Mercer. He explained he’d pored over them with Vex, Delvin and Karliah the previous night, and they figured where Mercer was. 

The Eyes of the Falmer were far in the north, based in a Dwarven ruin by the name of Irkngthand. 

We agreed to leave immediately, knowing Mercer had a hell of a head start. If he’d headed straight there after Snow Veil Sanctum, I wasn’t confident of our chances regarding finding him nor the Eyes. But Brynjolf believed he would have headed back to Riften to tie up loose ends, and he was aware he kept contacts across Skyrim, ready to help at a moment’s notice. 

I already had my horse, Karliah had stolen one on the way back to Riften, while Brynjolf gave in and bought one at the stables outside Riften. With enough supplies to survive past Windhelm, we wasted no more time, digging our heels in the flanks of our horses and we… trotted off, all of us probably forgetting that horses in Skyrim barely cantered. 

At least the reasonable pace allowed us to chat, Karliah explaining more about our agreement with Nocturnal, and also more about how Mercer taking the Skeleton Key had fucked the Thieves Guild. Brynjolf admitted to just being disappointed, in addition to being utterly pissed off. He’d known Mercer for years, and while he’d always been a hard arse, he never believed Mercer would have turned his back on the Guild in such a manner. 

We camped just past Windhelm, none of us wanting to enter. Finding a clearing, we got a campfire going and set up two tents, Karliah suggesting she would share my tent. Brynjolf met my eyes and just laughed, shaking his head. “Shor’s balls, Ragnar…” 

It was far too cold to do anything, and I don’t think Karliah was suggesting we would, but she did snuggle in close later that night under the furs, both of us still dressed in our armour, only our masks taken off, so in the faint moonlight, I could see her purple eyes, finally understanding the colour after meeting Nocturnal. She eventually grabbed my arm and wrapped it around her, so I pulled her closer still, and finally bit the bullet and kissed her. 

She was a great kisser, and I think the only thing that stopped it going further was the fact it was pretty bloody cold, and no doubt she was still hesitant about making that step. When we did finally break apart, she leaned forward to rest her head on my chest. “I haven’t kissed anyone in twenty-five years,” she whispered. 

“I would ask how old you are…” 

“How old are you?” 

“Twenty-one.” 

She looked up and I could see the surprise. “Really?” Then she started to laugh, while looking rather embarrassed. “I’m just about triple your age, Ragnar!” 

“So what? You don’t look that old. And I figured elves aged slower since they live longer.” 

“We do, but still… Twenty-one…” 

Leaning forward, I whispered into her ear, “I’m young and rather virile, Karliah.” 

“I haven’t been fucked in longer,” she whispered back, “The last man was…” She trailed off. 

“Gallus?” She nodded. “You still mourn him?” 

“No. I mourned him long ago, Ragnar. But there are a lot of dormant feelings coming to the surface, knowing I am so close to gaining revenge on the man who killed him and destroyed my life.” 

I tightened my arm around her. “We’ll get Mercer. You have my word.” 

“And I believe you. Completely.” 

We drifted off like that, waking with the sun the next morning. After breaking our fast by the campfire, we quickly packed up, remounted our horses and finished the journey to Irkngthand in a couple of hours. The exterior to the ruins appeared to have been taken over by bandits. If we had time to prepare, we might have been able to sneak past them. But as time was now of the essence, we killed a few of them which sent the rest of them running. We were certainly not going to waste time chasing them down. 

The next few hours of our lives were death-defying. Irkngthand might be the ruins of a dead race, but it was still alive with their contraptions. Having never descended a Dwarven ruin before, Karliah and Brynjolf took the lead as they knew what to expect. What we did realise upon entering the first chamber was that Mercer had arrived, the dead bandits inside, their butchered bodies waiting for us to find, a sign of what he probably hoped would happen to us. 

After ten minutes or so of walking, we saw Mercer for the first time since Snow Veil Sanctum. All we could do was watch as he murdered a couple of… “Karliah, what in oblivion are those?” 

“Falmer. Have you never seen one before?” 

“No.” 

“It’s a long story. I can tell you all about them later. For now, we have to follow him.” 

Mercer did everything he could to slow us down, making sure every single Dwarven trap was reset so we had to work our way forward inch by bloody inch. More than once we found ourselves under attack from weird looking Dwarven contraptions that would have sliced apart the unwary. But it wasn’t just the contraptions. The Falmer had infested the ruin, and while they might be blind, their other senses were heightened beyond belief. Despite our best efforts to sneak by them, more often than not they’d somehow sense our presence, and Karliah was quick to suggest we don’t get hit, as the bastards poisoned their arrowheads and blades. 

We finally ended up passing through a cave, where the Falmer had made some sort of large camp. Somehow we managed to sneak around the very edge, our footsteps, as quiet as they were, covered by the sound of running water. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who sighed with relief as we made it past and Karliah suggested we must be closed to the Eyes and to Mercer. 

Standing at the door, we shared some final words, not knowing if all three of us would walk out alive. 

“We do this for Gallus and the Guild,” Brynjolf stated. 

“For Gallus,” Karliah added. 

“And for everyone who has suffered due to his actions,” I finished. 

We managed to slip inside without being noticed, or so I thought, watching as Mercer was doing his best to dig out the second Eye, the first already on the ground below him. I was ready to tell Karliah to put an arrow in him to make our jobs a lot easier when there was a rumbling beneath my feet and I saw him look directly at us. 

“Karliah, when will you learn that you can’t the drop on me?” 

And that’s when the ground disappeared from beneath my feet and I found myself tumbling away. 

To be honest, I thought that was it. Game over.


	9. Revenge and Rebuild

My body ached. I’m sure I’d smacked my head on something as my vision was still blurry. But I felt a presence next to me. “When Brynjolf brought you before me, I could feel a sudden shift in the wind. And at that moment, I knew it would end with one of us at the end of a blade.” 

“Tell you what, Mercer. Just give me the Skeleton Key and I’ll forget about everything else you’ve done. But you’ll have to leave Skyrim. Can’t have you hanging around here.” 

That made him laugh at me. I was hoping to distract him, but Karliah nor Brynjolf were not attacking. I wondered why. Then my vision finally cleared and I could see the blade he was holding, ready to strike. His eyes were only for mine though. I thought I’d seen hatred, but his? He thoroughly despised me. “What's Karliah been filling your head with? Tales of thieves with honour? Oaths rife with falsehoods and broken promises? Nocturnal doesn't care about you, the Key or anything having to do with the Guild.” 

“Okay, I’ll answer each question. Karliah told me the truth about you, the fact you’re a conniving cunt. I do believe in honour amongst thieves. And the oath I’ve taken in regards to Nocturnal will ensure the success of the Guild once we return the Skeleton Key. It is all your fault, Mercer. You caused the influence of the Guild to slowly but surely ebb away.” 

“t's clear you'll never see the Skeleton Key as I do. Don’t you see, it’s an instrument of limitless wealth. Instead you've chosen to fall over your own foolish code.” 

“Don’t you read the stories, Mercer? The bad guy never wins! I’ll take pleasure putting a sword into your gut.” 

Before he could react, I rolled out of the way, unsheathing my sword at the same time, so that by the time I was on my feet, I had sword and shield in hand. “Getting slow in your old age, Mercer. A young warrior wouldn’t have wasted time talking. He would have put a sword in me immediately. That’s your problem. You’re full of hot air.” 

“Then the die is cast, and once again my blade will taste Nightingale blood! Karliah, I'll deal with you after I deal with your irksome companions. In the meantime, perhaps you and Brynjolf should get better acquainted.” 

I glanced to see the pair of them start to fight each other, so figured Mercer had used some sort of spell. I knew next to nothing about magic, so simply ignored them. My eyes were for Mercer. Remembering he wielded dual blades, and he was fast, I remained circumspect to begin with, confident in my own talents, and in the fact my new armour would protect me. 

He was fast, I’ll give him that, and I was on the back foot for quite a while, but I had plenty of experience myself despite my youth, and I had been the most trusted lieutenant of Guild Master Corvus of Cheydinhal. I knew how to fight, but sometimes a better defence was worth more than a good offense. So I let Mercer attack me, believing he was gaining the upper hand. Don’t get me wrong. Constantly defending was tiring, but I was waiting for the first mistake, just a moment where he left an opening that would allow me to strike. 

Most fighting is not only about how you swung a blade. It was about how you positioned your body, and perhaps the most important facet of swordplay was actually footwork. So I watched his blades while judging where he would place each foot. And what I always remember was that, in a fight to the death, things like honour are quite quickly forgotten. If you had to, use anything to your advantage, and don’t worry about fighting dirty. 

What didn’t help us was the fact there was that the very ground started to shake, and one of the pipes high above us burst, pouring water down, and I knew that the chamber was slowly but surely going to flood. I moved backwards onto dry ground, and with the higher ground, I started to use that to my advantage. I managed to put a boot into Mercer’s face, leaving blood pouring from his nose, and a minute later, finally managed to disarm him with a perfectly timed parry and swipe that sent his sword clattering into water. 

Now with only one sword, I could finally get on the front foot, and with sword, shield, elbows and kicks, I wore down his defences. I wasn’t going for a killing blow immediately, I wanted to disarm him, then give him the coup de grâce. Once I realised he was starting to tire, I pressed home my advantage, and when his second sword was sent flying, he was probably expecting an immediate killing blow. He wasn’t going to get that just yet as I grabbed him by the hair and dragged him up the stairs to the top the statue. Pushing him onto the head, I kicked out his legs, forcing him to his knees. Looking past him, I could see Brynjolf and Karliah no longer fighting. 

“Do it, Ragnar!” Karliah called. 

“What about you?” 

“As long as he dies.” 

I placed the blade to his neck. “Feel that, Mercer? That is death on your shoulder. You fucked with the wrong man.” 

“You’re just another stooge for Nocturnal.” 

“No, I’m about to make all of us very rich, Mercer. I’m going to help rebuild the Guild and restore our reputation and influence. You will lie in this chamber, quickly and quietly forgotten by all.” 

There was no time to waste as I could see the water continuing to flood the chamber, and I took his head with one clean strike, his head simply falling to the ground. I searched his body, finding the Skeleton Key in one of his pockets, putting that in one of my own. Karliah and Brynjolf joined me, both carrying an Eye of the Falmer. Wondering how the hell we were going to get out, we were saved as the roof caved in, exposing a hidden cave. I liked to think it was Nocturnal looking after us, aware we’d retrieved the Key. 

We walked towards the entrance of the cave without exchanging a word, realising we were going to have to walk back to find our horses. We’d been in the ruin for quite a while as it was now rather dark too. As it was warmer in the cave, we headed back inside and Karliah managed to get a small campfire going. We would go hungry as we had no supplies otherwise. 

Sitting down, she finally said, “I can't believe it's over. After twenty-five years in exile and just like that, it's done. All that remains is to ensure the safe return of the Skeleton Key.” She paused before adding, “I’m actually glad you killed him. I would have tortured him first, given him just a taste of what I’d been through for a quarter of a century.” 

“How do you feel?” Brynjolf wondered. 

“Relieved that it’s over. Justified at the measures taken. Sad because I think about what might have been otherwise...” 

There wasn’t a whole lot else to say and the three of us eventually just leaned back against the cave wall and slowly drifted off, Karliah ensuring she was close enough to have her head rested against me. I had no doubt she still had love in her heart for Gallus, so what would actually realistically happen between us was what she eventually decided. 

We were further away from the entrance to Irkngthand than we realised, so the three of us were rather cold and miserable, in addition to very hungry, by the time we made it back to our horses. Karliah suggested we head back to Riften first before we discuss the next and hopefully last stage of what was required to complete the agreement with Nocturnal. I thought that was a sound idea, and we agreed that we would keep riding until we made Riften stables. It took longer than a day, but riding at night wasn’t such a problem, one of us dozing as the other two kept a look out. 

At least it was daylight by the time we made it back to Riften, but the three of us were exhausted. Brynjolf and Karliah headed to the Flagon, and we agreed to meet the next morning. I headed into the Bunkhouse. Haelga was cleaning one of the dining tables, and once I’d removed my hood and mask, she burst into tears and ran towards me. I held her tightly as she wept. “I’m okay. It’s over,” I whispered. 

“I was confident in whatever you were doing, but so worried at the same time.” She leaned back and looked down. “New armour?” 

“It’s a long story and slightly unbelievable. But the new armour is excellent.” I couldn’t help the sigh that followed. “Mostly I’m just exhausted, hungry and really want a wash.” 

She gave me a soft kiss on the lips. “Head upstairs and I’ll bring up a little food and some hot water for you.” 

Once up in her bedroom, I immediately stripped off my new armour, laying down on the soft bed and near enough falling straight to sleep, only woken when shaken awake by Haelga. “Tired?” 

“Exhausted. Had a quick nap on horseback but otherwise been awake for longer than a day.” 

Getting up, I removed my underwear before she asked me to sit down. She then stripped herself nude before grabbing the bucket of hot water, and after adding a little oil, she used a cloth to start washing me. She enjoyed running it over my arms and shoulders, spending plenty of time scrubbing my chest and back, and went so far as to clean my legs and feet. All this touching made me quite hard, and after she towelled me down, she kneeled between my legs and eagerly took my cock in her mouth. 

I could only let my head roll back and groin as she quickly took my entire length, her head bobbing up and down. Like always, it felt wonderful, proving her skills with her mouth and tongue time and again. But while I would have loved nothing more than finishing in her mouth, I wanted something else. Suggesting what I did want, she happily removed her mouth and positioned herself over my cock, lowering herself down without stopping until my entire length was inside her pussy. 

“I’m not going to last long,” I warned, “And I’ll want a nap afterwards.” 

“That’s fine,” she said softly, wasting no time bouncing up and down. I moved my lips to her neck, immediately giving that a hard enough bite to leave another mark before she arched her back so I could lick and suck at her breasts. 

Haelga was soon making a lot of noise as always, while I was just trying not to cum too quickly. But all the washing, the blowjob, and now her tight, wet pussy was just too much for me, and I held her tight as I thrust up and came, groaning loudly enough that I’m sure Svana heard downstairs, though I’m sure she probably knew what we were doing anyway. Haelga settled down on my lap as we continued to make out, our kisses now soft but still full of passion and desire. Eventually it was my turn to rest my head on her chest. 

She eventually stood up and, after a quick clean up, helped me into bed. Leaning down to kiss me again, she whispered that she still had work to do, but as soon as she was finished, she’d be up to join me. I said I’d probably sleep until the next morning. “What if I woke you up offering you my arse?” 

“Well, maybe… But I am really tired!” 

That made her giggle, she kissed me a last time, and I was probably asleep by the time she was out the door. 

She came in quite a bit later, waking me up with her offer. I’d had enough sleep to at least rise to the occasion, and thankfully she was happy enough to just ride me, shoving her toy in her pussy at the same time, and she had quite the orgasm once I blasted in her arse. We both slept like logs a little later.

* * *

 

My hand was sore from all the handshakes I’d received since entering the Flagon. Everyone was delighted to hear that Mercer Frey was dead, and more importantly, that the Guild was on the verge of being restored to what it once was. Karliah and Brynjolf were waiting in the cistern, where we would discuss the final part of the rebuild. 

“Sleep well, Ragnar?” Brynjolf asked. 

“I don’t know about you, but I was bloody exhausted.” 

“Aye, we slept like logs too.” Then he cleared his throat. “Look, before we get down to the returning of the Skeleton Key, we’ve actually got something we need to discuss.” 

I glanced at Karliah before asking carefully, “What?” 

“The leadership of the Guild.” 

“Well, clearly it should either be yourself or Karliah. Frankly, it should be Karliah, as recompense for everything she’s been through.” 

“I've been at this game a long time, my friend. A long time. I've stolen trinkets from nobles and framed priests for murder. I'm good at what I do, maybe even one of the best. But it's all I know. I've never been one to lead. Never desired it, never cared for it. Don't want it.” 

I looked at Karliah and she added her thoughts. “There’s only one man who we agree should lead the Guild, Ragnar. Delvin and Vex agree too. Thanks to your efforts, Mercer's treachery has been exposed, and once we’ve returned the Key, all we need to do is ensure our influence spreads across Skyrim once again. As a result, we both feel that you have the potential of replacing Mercer as leader of the Thieves Guild.” 

I ran a hand through my long hair. “Seriously?” 

Brynjolf laid a hand on my shoulder. “Look, lad. Everyone in the Guild admires what you've done. Maybe they won't come out and simply tell you, but I promise you it's true. And now they know Mercer never genuinely cared about the Guild. He lacked the loyalty you obviously possess. I can't think of anyone better.” 

I looked at Karliah. “What he says is one hundred percent correct, Ragnar. And in Brynjolf and I, you will have people who can guide you as we rebuild the Guild.” 

“I’ll think about it. Let’s return the Key and start spreading our influence again. All being well, I’ll accept.” 

“Good,” Karliah stated, “So that means we can discuss what we need to do next. And, unfortunately, it’s not going to be simple. When the Skeleton Key was stolen from the Twilight Sepulcher, our access to the inner sanctum was removed. The only way to bring it back will be through the Pilgrim's Path.” 

“And that is?” I wondered. 

“To be honest, I’m not sure. It wasn't created for the Nightingales. It was created to test those who wished to serve Nocturnal in other ways. As a consequence, I have no knowledge of what you'll be facing.” 

“Will you come with me at least?” 

“I can’t, Ragnar. I've been a Nightingale for a very long time. I sold my allegiance to Nocturnal in exchange for many profitable years of thieving. Falling in love with Gallus was wrong. It was a distraction that allowed the Sepulcher to be desecrated and it likely cost him his life. Until the Key is returned, I will never set foot inside that place again.” 

“Okay, will you at least make the journey with me? Brynjolf, you’re welcome to join us too.” 

“I’ll stay here, lad,” he replied, before turning to Karliah, “But you should go with him, Karliah. Keep him company.” His tone was slightly suggestive, something both Karliah and I heard. With her face uncovered, the blush was noticeable. She looked rather shy and very cute when looking away. 

But she immediately agreed, and we didn’t really need to make any plans except gather some supplies and head to the stables. Karliah knew the way. 

We made it to Falkreath as the sun was setting, Karliah suggesting we head into the woods to make camp. I liked the idea, and we rode for another twenty or so minutes, tying our horses to a tree, and as Karliah set up the tent, I went to find wood for a fire. I managed to get that lit rather quickly, and with the supplies we’d brought, we managed to sate our hunger, at least for something regarding our stomachs. 

Sitting side by side on a log, the moon now out and stars twinkling above us, Karliah cuddled into me as it was rather cool around Falkreath. “Were you intimate with your woman last night?” she finally asked. 

“I was. Why do you ask?” 

“Just wondering.” She paused, before adding, “I wasn’t lying about falling in love being a mistake. I was a distraction to Gallus. I’m not saying I got him killed, but he was so enamoured by me that he failed to see what Mercer was doing right under his nose.” 

“Did you see it? What Mercer was doing?” 

“I never trusted him completely, but he and Gallus had been friends for years, so I think Gallus gave him wiggle room and enough rope to finally hang himself. I don’t think he ever imagined Mercer would have ever turned on him in such a manner.” 

“Don’t blame yourself, for Mercer or Gallus. Mercer had everyone fooled, most importantly Gallus. And there’s nothing wrong with falling in love.” I paused before adding, “Though I guess certain acts don’t require love, just an attraction…” 

She burst into laughter. “Smooth, Ragnar. Very smooth.” She cuddled into me. “When we return to Riften, I think we should discuss it. No, scratch that. There’s nothing to discuss. You should just carry me to a bed, strip me off and do what we both want.” 

“I’m going to need my own place…” 

“Why not Riftweald Manor? Mercer is dead and it’s better in your hands than someone else’s.” 

“Hmmm. Not a bad idea. I’ll have a chat with Maven, as I believe she still owns the land itself. Considering I have a decent relationship with her, I’m sure she won’t mind handing it over to me.” I paused before asking, “I assume that is a subtle hint that we won’t be getting naked tonight?” 

“Part of me really wants to, Ragnar. It’s been twenty-five years since I felt the touch of a man. But another few days won’t make a real difference. I want a warm room and a soft bed for the first time we make love.” 

“Make love?” 

“You will have to be gentle with me, Ragnar. Firstly, because it’s been so long. And, secondly, because I know you’re gifted.” I groaned, causing her to giggle. “I’m sure I’ll still be surprised.” 

We snuggled under the furs at little later, and it didn’t take long under our kisses turned hot, heavy and suggestive of what we both really wanted. When she ended up straddling my lap, she definitely felt the erection, unable to stop herself grinding against it despite being clothed. My hands were on her arse, enjoying how firm it was. I had a very good idea of how she was going to look naked. I immediately had a thought of Jenassa and figured Karliah was going to be even fitter. 

She eventually had to stop, stating if we kept going, she would give into temptation. So she slid off me and cuddled into me instead. She apologised for apparently teasing me, though I didn’t mind. She was a great kisser, and sometimes a make out session could be just as much fun as anything else. 

The Twilight Sepulcher was hidden away a section of forest probably rarely if ever visited, though was no doubt likely protected by magics and whatnot. Karliah was with me as far as the entrance before she insisted that she would go no further until I’d returned the Key. She hugged me and wished me good luck before I wandered inside. 

It was rather dark and the entrance was nothing grand. In fact, it looked rather abandoned, as if unvisited in decades. Figuring there was little time to waste, I headed straight to the set of stairs ahead, though my progress was halted when a spirit, or perhaps it was a ghost, approached me in return. 

After a short conversation, I realised it was Gallus. I told him what happened and that I was returning the Skeleton Key. But when I told him Karliah was still alive, the joy in his voice told me everything I needed to know. Even as a spirit, his heart was still full of love for her. He couldn’t tell me much about the Pilgrim’s Path, but he admitted that he was slowly dying, the longer the link between us and the Ebonmere remained broken. It was a subtle suggestion for me to hurry. 

There were five tests in all. The first room was guarded with Nightingale spirits, and I had to sneak by them. Despite my size and bulk, I could be surprisingly fleet of foot, and using the shadows to my advantage, sneaking by them wasn’t particularly difficult. In the second room, I discovered quite quickly that the light burned, and I had to be careful where I stepped, otherwise I’d find myself shot by poison darts. Sticking to shadows, I took my time getting past all the traps, as though in a hurry, I didn’t particularly want to be burned or shot. 

The third room was a simple test. Pull a couple of chains, extinguish the flames, darkness restored. The fourth test was where I had to take a choice of path. Both were difficult, and I eventually took the right path, where I had to time my run to avoid swinging axes and spears that would have skewered me. It took a light step, speed and a dive over a pressure plate to get through safely. 

Whoever designed these tests should be found and made to do it themselves. 

There was nowhere else to go at the end except to drop down into what looked like a dry well. I could see a pile of bones at the bottom, so figured the poor bastard had dropped down and slowly starved to death, but with no other option, I dropped down. After a few minutes, I thought I’d made one hell of a bad decision, but as quickly as I thought that, the well disappeared, nothing more than an illusion, as I found myself dropped into what appeared to be a shrine. Taking the Skeleton Key from my pocket, it had a glow, and stepping forward, I inserted it into the lock. 

I stepped back, briefly blinded by bright light, and it was then that Nightingale herself appeared in front of me. She gave a long speech, suggesting I was now her ‘Champion’, which sounded good, but she also suggested that the luck that had deserted the Guild would return, and that our hands would once again be guided by the forces at her disposal. It ended with a subtle suggestion, if not warning, for the Key not to be stolen again. And as quickly as she had appeared, she disappeared. 

Karliah must have realised that I’d returned the Key, as she appeared at my side, and it was there that she could enjoy a final goodbye with Gallus. They spoke of the love they had once shared, and hoped to be reunited in the Evergloam once Karliah passed from the world too. After sharing a fond goodbye, Gallus disappeared, though Karliah assured me that he would be waiting for her once her debt was repaid. 

With the link restored, there was a portal that led us back to the entrance and exiting out into the bright light, I heard the sigh Karliah gave. Then she turned towards and hugged me, and it was little surprise her entire body shuddered as she wept, I think releasing all the pent up emotions she’d been hiding since I first met her at Snow Veil Sanctum. 

“Thank you,” she said once she’d expelled all her tears. 

“For what?” 

“For everything, Ragnar. For helping and believing me. For helping me bring Mercer to justice. Everything you’ve done allowed me to say goodbye.” 

“I guess you never got to say it,” I said quietly. 

“No, and now that I have, I can properly move on with my life.” 

Lifting her chin with my finger, I asked, “Before we make that leap, you are aware…” 

“I am, Ragnar. I’m not expecting you to change. Besides, we’ll be busy working, won’t we? But it would nice to return to Riften and know you might be there waiting for me.” 

“Like me, eh?” 

“I do.” 

“Good. As I’ve already let you know what I think.” 

We mounted our horses and began our journey back to Riften. We camped halfway between Falkreath and Riften, stopping as the sun began to set, and Karliah proved rather sneaky as she unveiled a bottle of wine that she’d hidden away. We made a series of toasts and a couple of drinks helped us finally relax completely, and Karliah asked me plenty of questions about my previous life. I’m generally an open book, probably not always the best thing considering my line of work, but I’m usually honest about most things. 

“You escaped the life. Why did you return?” 

“Because I never lost my skills. Even when working with the Fighter’s Guild, I could be walking through a crowd and I could pick a dozen marks, knowing exactly what I’d have to do to nick a coin purse, jewellery or anything else I wanted. I never lost the desire. The only reason I stopped was that I was nearly killed, so thought I should change the road I was on.” 

“There is certainly a thrill to what we do.” 

“Aye. I enjoyed working as a fighter. I’d happily do it again. But I was raised a thief, I’m bloody good at it, and what I know now is that we’re all going to make a lot of coin. But I will be instituting some changes before we get to work.” 

“What sort of changes?” 

“I’ll let you know when the time comes. But we’re not just going to be about gold and wealth.” 

Karliah gave me a look, and I think she understood what I might mean. I knew what I meant, as the idea had been in my head since Brynjolf suggested I should be the new Guild Master. I’m sure some might not like the idea, but while I was a thief and warrior at heart, I also tried to do the right thing, as a balance for the things I knew I was doing wrong. 

Returning to Riften by early afternoon the next day, Karliah went straight to the Flagon while I made a beeline for Maven’s house. She was home and we sat at her dining table as I began to explain everything that happened. She knew about Goldenglow and Honningbew, but knew nothing about anything Mercer had been up to and his complete betrayal of the Guild. That took her completely and utterly by surprise. “I had absolutely no idea he was capable of something like that,” she admitted. 

“And that’s why he is now dead and the Guild will be restored.” 

She smirked. “So… I take it you are the new Guild Master? I can assume you are from the way you’re talking, and the fact it is you here now.” 

“It’s not official yet, but yes, I will be.” 

“Then we will have a rather close relationship going forward, Ragnar.” 

“How close, Maven?” 

I felt a foot run up my leg and it eventually nestled in my crotch. All she did was look at me in the eyes. “Depends on you really, Ragnar.” 

I had to be blunt. “You’re serious? What about Ingun?” 

“What she won’t know won’t hurt her. I’m a flesh and blood woman. And I think you’ll be rather intrigued by some of my desires.” 

“Are you married?” 

“I’m widowed. The men you see in this house are my sons.” 

“Let me think about it.” To be fair, she was simply an older version of Ingun. Seeing them walk side by side in town, they looking remarkably similar. “What I did want to ask about is Riftweald Manor. Now that Mercer is dead, the house will be empty. Can I have it please?” 

She laughed. “I don’t get to make that choice, Ragnar. It’s up to you as Mercer owned the house and land. I gave I all to him, so if you find the deeds somewhere, take them to the jarl and the steward will ensure the place is now in your name. You might have to pay some taxes, but I’m sure you can afford it.” 

Maven thanked me for informing her of everything that happened, and I headed to Riftweald Manor. The front door was still unlocked, and I headed upstairs, looking for the deeds to the house. It took a little investigating, but I found the deeds and immediately headed to the Keep. I was pointed in the direction of her steward, and after answering a series of questions, explaining that Mercer had left Riften for pastures new, the steward didn’t seem to really actually care. I handed over a bag of coin and I received new titles for the house. Riftweald Manor was now mine. 

After catching up with Brynjolf and everyone else, letting them know I’d spoken to Maven and sorted everything out, I spent a week getting Riftweald Manor in order. I practically emptied the place out of the furniture Mercer had left behind and bought everything new, making it a real home to live in, as I was not going to spend any more time living down in the cistern. I wanted a more comfortable life when not sleeping on the road. I did brick up the hidden entrance, as I didn’t think that was necessary, and made sure all the windows were unlocked so I could let in plenty of fresh air. 

I let Haelga know I had my own place, but I sat down and explained the friendship I’d struck up with Karliah. She smiled, mentioning that I’d explained it all before leaving for Irkngthand, so she wasn’t offended when I said we had been waiting for me to find a place for us to be intimate for the first time. It probably sounded pathetic when I thanked her for understanding. All she did was kiss my cheek, told me to enjoy myself and that she hoped to be my next guest. I promised she would be a welcome guest more often than not… And that I had Shrine of Dibella waiting for her in a separate room, which had certain features she might enjoy. She knew exactly what I meant, earning the most beautiful of smiles before receiving whispers in my ear of such an erotic nature, I near enough dragged her upstairs. 

Karliah was to be my first guest, wandering outside the gates of Riften, back towards Nightingale Hall. She had mentioned that she would now live there instead of the Guild, finding comfort in solitude, though she hoped one or two might eventually join here there. She’d been as busy as I, the bedroom she would call home already full of colour and a feel that suggested she would be rather happy there. What made her happier was the invitation to my house, with an offer of dinner too. 

Knocking on the door of my house later that day, I opened it and felt my jaw drop wide. Gone was the Nightingale armour she’d worn since the day we’d met. Instead, she wore a beautiful purple dress, tight to her body, flowing down to just above her ankles. Her raven hair was in a pattern she immediately explained was something all Dunmer women would wear when being courted. 

“Courted?” I asked once we’d sat down, eating the meal I’d prepared. I’m not the best cook, but I haven’t killed myself yet. 

“Well, I haven’t just jumped into bed with you, Ragnar. We’ve got to know each other first. But I am also going to be honest with myself. While I will likely develop feelings as we go along, I will not make the same mistake as I did with Gallus.” She held up a hand to halt what I was going to say before reaching across to grab my hand. “We will be intimate, Ragnar, and I hope it will be often, because as I’ve already told you, I do like you. Quite a bit, to be honest. But we will remain only very good friends. That will suit both of us, yes?” 

“Actually, it would. I’m glad you said it though.” 

Finishing dinner, on which I received a rather nice compliment, not that it was much to cook – meat, potato, vegetables – we retired to my sitting room, where a fire was burning and I’d bought a nice lounge where we could relax in front of it, enjoying another bottle of wine. It took all of five minutes for us to be making out. I have no doubt we desired each other completely, but I could sense we were taking our time. I didn’t want to rush it with Karliah, and while I think part of wanted me to simply pick her up, dump her on my bed and just ravish her, she was enjoying the fact I just wanted to kiss her, in between sips of wine and occasional conversation. 

I waited for her to suggest we head to the bedroom. Once she did, I took her by the hand and led her upstairs. I received more compliments for the decoration, ensuring that there was a fusion of Dibella, though most of that was in another room for when Haelga visited, and also a hint of Nocturnal, primarily with the colours I used. 

“You have nice taste, Ragnar,” Karliah stated as we stood at the foot of the bed. 

“Well, I now worship an aedra and have submitted to a daedra.” 

“Aedra?” 

“Dibella! I thought that would have been obvious.” 

“So your other woman…?” 

“Takes her Dibellan worship _very_ seriously!” 

She turned towards me as she laughed for a moment, wrapping her arms around my neck as I rested mine on her lower back. “So what about me, Ragnar?” she asked softly. 

I sensed a trap, so asked, “How do you mean?” 

“Well, be honest. Do you love this other woman?” 

I nodded. “In a way, I do. I know that must sound…” 

She shut me up by placing a hand over my mouth. “I understand. You enjoy the relationship you’ve built with her?” I nodded silently. “But you also enjoy the time you spend together, not just physically?” 

“Yes." 

“Well, as I said on the way back from the Sepulcher, is that we will be friends, close friends, who may also occasionally… Well, more than occasionally have sex. Is that what you would like?” 

“Definitely.” 

"So would I.” 

The kiss we shared next was a sigh of things to come, and I wasted no time taking off her dress, leaving her in just an exquisite pair of bra and panties, once she’d kicked off her shoes, standing around four inches shorter than me. Taking great delight in undressing me, her hands definitely wandered over my body, running a couple of fingers over the scars remaining after what happened at Snow Veil Sanctum. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered before kissed both of them. 

“Nothing to be sorry for. The fault was Mercer’s.” 

Once I was naked, she stood back to appreciate my physique. I could see it excited her, and once her eyes fell to my now rather erect cock, there was the usual quiet exclamation of, “Oh my!” 

Pulling her towards me, I kissed her again as my hands moved to undo her bra. I’d undone enough of those over the years that I could do it once handed, taking a moment to look at her breasts. They were small, but absolute perfect for her, a hand immediately moving to them and her very hard nipple. Running a hand down her flat, toned stomach, I ran my hand under her panties towards her pussy, unsurprised to feel she was very, very wet already. She helped me by lowering her panties and flinging those somewhere with a foot. 

“Play with me,” she whispered, breaking our kiss for a moment. 

“Lie down?” 

She smirked. “No, make me cum standing.” 

“You’re confident that’s going to happen.” 

“Ragnar, first of all, it’s you. I mean, look at you. No wonder I’ve heard rumours of all these women wanting to be with you. Second of all, it’s been twenty-five years. Just knowing you’re going to touch me will be enough.” 

She wasn’t lying, as after briefing teasing her entrance, I slid a couple of fingers inside her. It was a little awkward, but Karliah lifted a leg and wrapped around me, able to balance on just one as I fucked her with my fingers. “Told you,” she whispered before resuming our kiss. 

It took all of five minutes before she had to break the kiss and held onto me tight, her breathing suggesting she was already very excited. I eventually had to pick her up and carry her to the bed, where after laying her down, I crouched and used my mouth on her instead. She cried out loudly when she felt my tongue on her for the first time, a hand immediately grabbing my hair to hold me in placed, noticing her legs spread wide so I had full access to her. 

Her orgasm arrived very quickly, far quicker than I expected. She was loud as she cried out my name, and begged for me to continue. I’m fairly sure she was crying as she did, though assured me it was simply the sheer relief of having finally had someone else make her cum after all these years. So I quite happily kept eating her out until she had a second one, that one arriving a little later. Once she’d come down from a second high, she let go of my hair and asked me to stop for the moment. So I kissed up her body, enjoying the feeling of her skin against my lips. She shuffled back so I could hover above her. 

“Gods, Ragnar, where did you...” 

“Lots of practice.” 

“I think I should return the favour.” 

I couldn’t help smile as I leaned down to her ear. “I only want my cock one place tonight, Karliah.” 

Reaching down between us, I felt her rather delicate hand grasp my length. “Ragnar, I can’t get my hand around it,” she whispered. 

“Maybe you just small hands?” 

That made her giggle. “Well, small hands get into tight places.” 

She positioned me at her entrance before removing her hand, wrapping her arms around my neck. Ever so slowly, I pushed forward to enter her. Gods, was she ever so tight. My face must have been a picture as she said, “So I feel good, yes?” 

“Wait until I’m all the way inside you, then I’ll ask the same question.” 

Her arms tightened around me the more I inserted, almost feeling her stretch to accommodate me. She breathed my name more than once, desperate to kiss me. By the time our groins touched, her face was one of utter bliss. I’m sure I look rather pleased myself. She asked me not to move for a few moments, stating she simply wanted to enjoy the thrill of having a man inside her once again. To be honest, I could have stayed like that most of the night. I’m not sure if all Dunmer were the same, but the two I’d been with had the tightest pussies around. 

I slowly started to move, and she asked me immediately not to do it too hard. To be honest, I didn’t need to. The feel of sliding inside that tight, wet pussy of hers was going to be more than enough to get me off, letting her know I probably wasn’t going to last long at all. She didn’t mind whatsoever, hoping this would simply be the first of many times we would make love that night. 

Feeling those lithe legs of hers wrap around me almost set me off. It changed the angle of how I entered her, and she cried out. I thought I hurt her, but she said it simply felt even better, before she kissed me deeply again, the sort of kiss that would only ever make me harder. 

Breaking the kiss, she pulled my head gently next to hers. “You feel wonderful, Ragnar. Why have I waited so long?” 

“I didn’t mind, Karliah. You know that.” 

“Good things come to those who wait, right?” It felt like only five minutes, perhaps it was longer, but I eventually had to warn her I was about to cum. She heard the hidden question in the statement, and gave me no indication that I was finishing anywhere except inside her. “I’ve prepared,” she admitted, “I have more than enough potions.” 

As I neared climax, I upped the tempo more and she still thoroughly enjoyed it, as it was nothing like the hard fucking I did with Haelga. I don’t think Karliah could handle that… yet, if she was ever interested. But it was still a heavenly climax as I buried myself a final time, and she held onto me for a while, her hands stroking my back as I recovered. 

After a quick clean up, we lay together, our heads now on the soft pillows, Karliah cuddling into my side, an arm of mine wrapped around hers. “This is going to sound like a stupid question, but can you get pregnant? I mean, you said you’re older than me, quite a bit older…” 

She shrugged. “I’m not sure, to be honest, but I’d rather not take that chance.” 

“Sensible, but I was just curious.” 

She had offered to blow me earlier, and she was still tempted, as she quickly kissed me again, before moving down my body. Once down near my groin, my cock was already starting to harden, and it was near enough at full mast one she had her mouth around it. I’ll be honest, she obviously hadn’t given a blowjob in a while, but she was desperate to please me, knowing the one thing many loved was that she should maintain eye contact. I couldn’t help smile as I watched her head bob up and down. 

I’m not sure if she was waiting for me to cum in her mouth or not, but I eventually gestured for her stop and instead straddle me. She didn’t sit straight down on my cock, instead laying it flat against me and running her pussy along it. That gave me the perfect opportunity to look at her body. There were a few scars, as expected, but she was near enough flawless. 

“You think I’m beautiful?” she asked, sounding a little unsure. 

“Gods yes. Never had a Dunmer like you before.” 

“How many have you had?” 

“Three before you.” I pulled her down for a moment to whisper in her ear, “But your pussy is by far the best.” 

That made her laugh before she sat back up, continuing to rub herself along my length. I’m sure it was teasing herself as much as it did me, but I could have watched that body of hers all night doing it. But I think it eventually got too much for her, as she finally sat up, grabbed my cock, and placed it at her entrance. I usually loved to watch my cock disappear inside a woman, but for once I watched her face. Gods, her face lit up as she slowly took my length, crying out rather loudly at times as she adjusted to my size again. 

She shuddered once she’d settled on my crotch, smiling away as she admitted, “I think I nearly came just then.” 

“That good?” 

“It’s certainly hitting the right spots. Now, just let me control it this time, Ragnar. You just lie back and provide the cock.” 

Despite the confident tone, she didn’t last long, her first orgasm arriving very quickly. She rode her way through it, barely, starting to ride a little harder and faster as she became ever more accustomed to what was inside her. Wondering if she was going to have another one soon, she could barely put three words together, leaning forward with both hands on my chest as she properly started to ride me. That sent sensations up and down my cock, and my body, and I knew I was going to cum again quite soon myself. 

Climaxing a second time, that’s when she had to cry enough, at least for the moment, collapsing on my chest, feeling hers rise and fall as she murmured how good she felt. I really needed to cum, so she lifted herself up, and suggested I just cum on her, so I left a load on her arse and lower back, suggesting we’d just clean it off later. 

We both had a little nap, Karliah not moving off me at all. Waking up a little later, I grabbed a little water and cloth to clean her back, and we made love again, our appetites for each other still not quite sated for the moment. Apart from Karliah being on her back and me between her legs, there was only endless amounts of kissing and caressing, with plenty of romantic words shared between us too. I wasn’t quite falling for her, but I knew we would be very close going forward. I was left thinking she just wanted a man who she could trust and know that would treat her right. 

Cuddling under the covers later, Karliah spooned against me, we lay in silence and conversed quietly about nothing particularly important, until she said, “Thank you for tonight, Ragnar.”

“You don’t have to thank me.” 

“I know, but the entire evening, since I walked in the door, your focus has been on making me… happy. I’ve had a near constant grin since you opened the door. I can’t remember the last time I felt remotely happy.” She paused before adding, “Promise me one thing, Ragnar.” 

“Of course.” 

“Never say you love me, or you’re in love with me. Even if you do. And I promise to do the same.” 

I could understand why she said that, so I agreed. I won’t say wholeheartedly, because if we did fall in love, we’d be denying ourselves possible happiness. I had no idea what was going to happen with Haelga. Or Ingun. Or any other woman I met. But I understand why she said it, and to be honest, it was probably the best course of action. Work alongside each other. Enjoy the other’s company. Enjoy some really hot sex. But don’t let feelings cloud our judgement. 

I did have to say, “You say that like you expect to fall in love with me, Karliah.” 

She turned around to face me. “Because I know I will. But I can’t repeat history, Ragnar. My heart won’t be able to take it.” 

I was about to say ‘I won’t end up like Gallus’, but who was I to make that sort of promise? I could die tomorrow if a mission went wrong. So I promised her that, if I did fall for her completely, I’d keep it to myself. 

It would probably end up being a hard promise to keep.


	10. Rise of the Guild

Though I was leader in name, Brynjolf pulled me aside and said he’d rather not announce it until he had word from across Skyrim that the Guild was present. I agreed, suggesting that only when the Guild was back at full strength would I have proven worthy of the position. I did suggest that he or Karliah would still be the better choice. Brynjolf just retorted, suggesting in return that I was being overly modest. 

Not one to just sit back and take the plaudits, I was immediately in Brynjolf’s and Delvin’s ears about jobs. While I could easily just turn up in a city and go on the rob, I preferred specific, high value targets, the sort that either had a specific buyer or at least something that could be fenced that would be a nice little earner. 

The first job I was given had me complaining to Brynjolf about the fact it was too damned easy. Break into Dragonsreach in Whiterun, forge a ledger and steal a letter. Hardly bloody difficult. Delvin cracked up laughing as I demanded something a little more taxing on my skills, thinking I was nuts. “Most thieves want easy scores,” he said. 

“Others might, but I like that hint of danger.” 

Delvin gave me another job a week later, this time in Solitude. Knowing I’d be gone for quite a while, I thought I’d invite someone along for company. I asked Haelga first, figuring we might even be able to make it a little romantic. But she had two reasons why she couldn’t come. One, Svana just couldn’t run the Bunkhouse alone, which I understood. And, two, she was a vehement Stormcloak supporter and wouldn’t feel comfortable being in the still loyal to the Empire capital of Skyrim. I knew she was a supporter, it was a topic we never really discussed, but didn’t think she was that supportive. I didn’t mind, and accepted. 

So I asked Karliah if she’d like to go. She wasn’t up to much herself so accepted. We wouldn’t need too many supplies for the two-day journey, though agreed we’d avoid Whiterun and simply camp on the way to Solitude. Other than that, I suggested we simply book a room at the inn when we arrived and go from there. We packed our Nightingale armour away, agreeing to only wear that when actually on the job, otherwise we’d wear regular armour covered by a warm coat. 

Normally I would have spent the night before leaving on such a journey with Haelga, but I had received a dinner invitation from Maven, to join her and her daughter. I accepted, believing a refusal would have offended her. When I told Haelga, she didn’t know whether to laugh or not, figuring I was a lamb to the wolves. I smirked, retorting that she must underestimate me. She thought I’d taken offense, assuring her I hadn’t, admitting it would be an interesting experience. 

Maven and Ingun had apparently cooked dinner and certainly put on a smorgasbord of food on the table, allied with a choice of a few wines and even some brandy if so chose. Ingun had made sure she sat next to me, as close as possible, and her hand was soon caressing my thigh. Maven noticed, of course, though didn’t mention it, simply engaging me in conversation about what I was up to. By now, Ingun had a very good idea of what I did, and while I never openly admitted it, she didn’t seem to care. Pretty much the only thing she warned me not to do was get caught. 

After dinner, we retired to the sitting room by the fire, where I found myself in between mother and daughter. I was thinking this could go horribly wrong, or go in a direction completely unexpected, and a little weird. Thankfully, while Maven had made her intentions clear earlier, she was simply enjoying some light flirting with me, which still felt a little strange, as I knew she was usually an absolute ball breaker. Hearing her giggle at one or two of my jokes had me exchanging glances with Ingun, who looked utterly dumbfounded in her change in demeanour. 

Maven eventually headed to bed before Ingun and I, and let me know what she would be doing upstairs once she was alone. She wasn’t as quiet as she thought as I know Ingun heard every word, before she disappeared upstairs. 

"So mother likes you too?” Ingun asked once we were alone. 

“It appears she does.” 

“Understandable, but I have to say, that was weird to see. Mother does not giggle, nor flirt so outrageously. And she definitely does not admit to masturbating to another man while her daughter sits next to him!” 

“Well, it was either pleasure herself or make an awkward suggestion.” Ingun pulled a face which had me crack up with laughter. “I thought it would get the reaction. I’m thankful she didn’t suggest it.” 

“Would you, though?” 

“Would I what?” 

“Would you fuck my mother? Would you actually have the balls, and I mean that figuratively and literally, to fuck Maven Black-Briar?” 

“To be honest, I’m not entirely sure. I mean, she’s an older version of you. And it’s weird seeing her act in such a way. But, to be honest, probably not. Though I don’t like leading her on either.” Meeting her eyes, I asked, “What would you think?” 

“It would be weird if I could sit there with mother comparing our lover. But I also understand why. She must get lonely. She’s been a widower for a long time now.” 

Thankfully we agreed to move the topic of conversation on to something different, and after finishing the glass of wine, we headed downstairs to her bedroom. It had been a long time since we’d been intimate, and Ingun was very, very eager to please, and desperate for me to slide my cock inside her. I would normally have enjoyed going down on her, but once we were naked, she got down on all fours on the floor, thankfully covered by a nice thick rug, and begged for me to just fuck her. 

Seeing her in such a position, her arse up in the air, her pussy wet and ready, I willingly obliged her. If someone had walked in, we’d have looked like a pair of animals rutting, as she had her head on the ground, arse raised as high as possible as I crouched over her, ramming my cock into her. She was loving it, moaning my name or other things not particularly intelligible, and constantly asking for it to be harder and faster. 

I had a feeling she was trying to prove something to me too, but she needn’t have worried. I remembered our first time rather fondly, and had simply been waiting for another opportunity to be intimate with her. But I wasn’t going to complain about the completely submissive attitude she’d taken so far, but it wasn’t something I expected nor wanted. Well, except for Haelga, but we were still exploring that aspect of our sex life… 

Ingun eventually took a load inside her, which satisfied her completely, both of us collapsing to the ground once I pulled out. She shuffled across and threw a hand across my chest. “Gods, I needed that,” she murmured. 

“What?” 

“To just be fucked hard. I’ve been wet most of the night, Ragnar, so you didn’t have to bother doing anything else.” I couldn’t help laugh, unsure of what to say to such a confession. “I still want you to cum in my mouth sometime this evening though.” My laughter continued at such honesty, simply because it was so unexpected. 

To prove her point, she gave me around fifteen minutes before she moved down my body. Considering her attitude that evening, I made sure I stood up so she had to kneel. The look in her eyes as she sucked my cock was… I’m not sure. It wasn’t love, that’s for sure. But there was something that suggested she was very happy with what was happening. I don’t honestly think she was into all that dominant and submissive thing that Haelga liked, I think she was just happy with me taking the lead. And as she took my length, I remained gentle with her, stroking her hair and letting her know how beautiful she was, how smart she was, and all the other positive things I knew and liked about it. 

Then I came in her mouth, which made her incredibly happy, and once she’d taken her time to clean me up, we got under the blankets of her bed and snuggled for a little while. “When am I going to be invited to your new place?” she wondered. 

“I’ve been meaning to, but life is still a little hectic with everything going on. Plus, you know, I have others…” 

“Who’s the Dunmer I’ve seen go in occasionally?” 

“Karliah. I work with her.” 

“She’s very pretty, Ragnar.” I looked at her, surprised she’d say something nice about another woman I was intimate with. “What? She is! And she has excellent taste in clothes.” 

“She’s also a lot older than me. I’ve never been with a woman with such an age gap between us, though it is different as elves live so long compared to us.” 

“How much older?” 

“Triple my age, and a little more!” That made her laugh. “I know! I can honestly say if she was human, the thought would never have crossed my mind, but as a Dunmer, she barely looks a day over, what, thirty, thirty-five…” 

“I’m still waiting for that invitation from Haelga, by the way.” I gave her a curious look, not remembering to what she was referring. That caused her to giggle. “You seriously don’t remember? Haelga made it quite clear she’d like to taste me too.” 

“Oh, that’s right.” 

“I can’t believe that you, as a man, forgot about the possibility of a threesome!” 

I shrugged. “I’ve had one or two. While they’re fun at times, sometimes it’s not what it’s crack up to be either. Don’t get me wrong, having you and Haelga at once will be very good indeed. I’ll mention it to Haelga when I get back from Solitude.” 

Conversation ceased as we started to make out again, and once I was hard, Ingun straddled me, slid herself down my cock and, to my surprise, gently started to ride me. She must have noticed my look, as she mentioned I’d fucked her hard as she’d wanted, now it was time to make love to her. I shuffled back so I was in more of a seated position, lavishing her breasts with plenty of attention, interspersed with more making out. I let Ingun control the tempo completely, and she really took her time. Resting her forehead against mine, she stared into my eyes, a slight smile on her face, listening to her breathing, the occasional moan, a whisper of my name, a compliment about what my cock was doing to her. 

I loved running my hands over her body. I loved running my hands over any woman’s body I was intimate with, as they were usually so soft compared to mine. Ingun was completely different to Haelga and Karliah. She wasn’t athletic at all. She wasn’t slim, though her curves were faint, as she still looked after herself. Her breasts were wonderful, continuing to give them plenty of attention, while I loved grabbing a handful of her arse, particularly when she was riding me. 

She couldn’t ride me forever, not in such a manner, without feeling the need to finally have an orgasm. I’m not sure how long we’d been at it before she finally picked up the tempo, immediately riding me faster and a hell of a lot faster, thrusting down on my cock with such force, I wondered how she didn’t hurt herself. But it worked, as she arched her back as she climaxed, screaming out my name so loudly, I’m sure Maven would have heard us upstairs. I had to hold onto her tightly as she near enough passed out, pulling her back towards me as she collapsed against my chest. 

“Okay, that was really fucking good,” she whispered. 

“Glad you enjoyed my cock so much.” 

“Not just your cock, Ragnar,” she said softly, lifting her head to lay a gentle kiss on my lips before resting her head back down against my chest. 

We sat like that for a while, my cock still hard an inside her. She eventually realised and asked if I needed to cum again. I said I would like to, so she happily blew me to completion a second time. I just called her greedy as she swallowed another load. She happily admitted that what I gave her tasted quite nice. I wasn’t one to judge that, but as I happily ate women out, I guess it was roughly the same. 

Spooning together a little later, Ingun holding both my hands, ensuring her body was moulded into mine, she admitted to liking me quite a lot. I returned the same words, though she added further that she knew it would never be more, but until she met a man she could see a future with, she was happy for our arrangement to continue. That was good news to me, and I said once she found another, I would sadly, but not reluctantly, as that would be unfair, let her go. 

Breakfast wasn’t as awkward as I thought it would be the next morning. Ingun had a constant smile on her face, the smile of a woman who’d been satisfied the night before. Maven looked like she had a hangover, and she admitted to perhaps drinking a bit too much wine, though she still thanked me for the company the night before. 

Heading back to Riftweald, I’d packed before heading out, so all I needed to do was change into the armour I’d bought from Grelka, cover that with my coat, then head out to the stables to meet Karliah. She knew what I’d been up to the night before, asking one or two pointed questions, primarily about Maven to my amusement. I could happily state I only had dinner with Maven, though didn’t go into details about what I’d been up to with Ingun. I knew Karliah still found the whole Maven thing amusing. 

The ride towards Whiterun took place without incident, keeping the pace gentle but ensuring we covered enough distance by nightfall so that we’d make Solitude by nightfall the next day. Camping on the plains of Whiterun, it was a clear night, the two moons providing light. Karliah and I sat on a log and spent a lot of time looking up at the stars after we’d had dinner, sharing a bottle of wine. Heading to bed later, all we did was take off our armour and cuddle under the blankets. Neither of us rode horses often, so we were both feeling a little sore after a day in the saddle. 

The next day wasn’t without incident, as we found our progress halted around lunchtime by half a dozen bandits, threatening to kill us if we didn’t hand over our supplies and horses. The fact we showed absolutely no fear put them off enough that they didn’t notice Karliah get her bow ready. I dismounted, sword and shield in hand, and by the time I was past the head of my horse, Karliah had her bow up and an arrow fired. Two bandits came towards me. Neither were particularly good swordsman, and with my experience, and confidence, the first dropped rather easily, the second at least got in a couple of decent swings before I cut him down. Three of the bandits had taken arrows, two dead, the other wounded, leaving one final bandit alive. He simply dropped his weapons, turned and ran. I raised a hand to Karliah not to bother. “We defend ourselves but we’re not cold-blooded killers,” I said. 

She agreed, and after I remounted my horse, we restarted our journey, which was uninterrupted all the way to Solitude. It was dusk by the time we arrived, so after stabling our horses, we headed through the gates, barely earning a curious glance from the two guards, and straight for the Winking Skeever. Unsure of how long we’d be in town for, the innkeeper agreed to payment each morning once we’d decided what to do. Karliah hadn’t been in Solitude for years, so after we’d changed into some regular clothing, we strolled the streets hand in hand, and it felt more like a date than being on the job, so much so that she eventually wrapped an arm around and cuddled into me as we strolled. 

Heading back to the tavern for a meal and a drink, we ended up talking with a few of the locals, catching up on the local gossip. Some of it was about the civil war, though I admitted to seeing little signs of it, told that it was apparently a stalemate with no sign of it changing. The main topic of conversation was still about what happened between the High King and Ulfric. Despite being in Solitude, a few did admit that what Ulfric did wasn’t particularly honourable, but he had challenged the young king in the correct manner. We sat with people until last call, heading up to bed once we’d finished our drinks, where we made love before falling asleep. 

The next morning, we were heading to the house of the local contact when we found ourselves stopped by an Argonian. “You two are passing through Solitude? Maybe you're looking to make some easy gold, yes?” 

I shared a glance with Karliah. “I can speak for both of us that we like gold,” I replied, “Why do you ask?” 

“It's easy to find things to sell. Things nobody will miss. Things from underground, or just left lying around in someone's house. I bet the two of us, we're very alike. So why not take the next step? We can help each other. My sister Deeja and I are treasure hunters. We like to collect things.” 

“So you’re thieves?” Karliah pretty much accused. 

“Of course not! Thieves take what is precious. Thieves steal. We just take what will not be missed. What no one needs anymore. Maybe we take some weapons and stop a few deaths. Who would call that thievery?” 

I’ve always said you can’t bullshit a bullshitter. “Look, do you know who we are?” I wondered. 

“No. Should I?” 

I stepped closer, unsurprised that he was immediately intimidated. “We’re with the Guild,” I whispered, “And you shouldn’t be performing jobs like this without their knowledge.” 

“I heard the Guild was back but had no idea you were in operating in Solitude again.” 

“We’re technically not at the moment, but we’re here at the moment working on regaining a foothold.” 

“Okay, I’ll tell you our idea. With the war, many more ships come through Solitude docks. Loaded with weapons and pay, but few people, as most are either on the front line. But these ships pass through dangerous waters. We have an interest in one of those boats, the Icerunner. The Solitude Lighthouse will be guiding it in... But if its fire were to go out, the Icerunner would run aground.” 

“When is it expected to arrive?” Karliah asked. 

“Well, let’s say if the fire were to go out sometime tonight, the Icerunner won’t make it into dock tomorrow.” 

“That sounds like we have at least a little time. Tell you what, we’ll do what we need to do right now, but we might take a look into this tonight,” I said. 

“Well, it is up to you in the end. If the fire were to go out in the lighthouse, the ship will run aground. If not, the ship will dock safely.” And with those words, the Argonian turned and walked away.

Karliah and I resumed walking to the house we’d been told to visit, talking over what we’d been told. We agreed that something about it smelled fishy, but agreed that we’d get involved and find out what was going on. I suggested there would be two outcomes; we’d either have a new ally in Solitude, or… we’d take out a rival faction. 

After speaking with our contact, the task given was rather simple, but he assured us that, if completed successfully, the Guild would once again have a foothold in Solitude. Obtaining the Balmora Blue that we needed could have been more expensive than originally intended, the seller realising she was dealing with two well-trained Guild members ensuring she saw sense and sold it at a more reasonable rate. 

Heading to where a ship called the _Dainty Sload_ was docked, Karliah suggested she would be the best choice to infiltrate and plant the drug. I didn’t have to worry about her. Quite frankly, she was a better thief than I was, and could certainly make it all the way into the ship and out without being seen, and if required, could kill silently. 

I hid well enough that I could watch her slip onto the ship without being noticed, and simply kept watch, waiting for her to reappear. I have no idea if she had to fight her way to the captain’s cabin or not, but I didn’t have to wait as long as I thought for her to reappear, giving a short, sharp whistle so she knew where I was. Once in the treeline with me, she said, “Easy peasy.” 

“You make this far too simple at times, Karliah.” 

“I make it look simple. I had to kill half of them inside. I’ve hidden their bodies so they won’t be found until the guards arrive to arrest the captain.” 

“Good. So I think it’s best we make ourselves scarce and start planning for tonight.” 

We immediately headed back to the Winking Skeever and relaxed until near sundown. Once the sky turned the usual mix of orange and purple to signify dusk descending, we headed towards the lighthouse. For some reason, it appeared to be unoccupied, so slipping inside and then up towards the fire wasn’t a problem. From the top of the lighthouse, you could see for what felt like miles. Putting out the fire wasn’t an issue. There wasn’t a bucket of water we could use, so Karliah used magic. Watching ice appeared from palm to extinguish the flame was near mesmerising. Our part of the plan complete, we headed back to the inn. 

In our room after dinner and drink, we could hear the music from downstairs, Karliah mentioning she hadn’t danced in quite a while. So I offered my hand and held her close, moving to the music. I managed to not step on her feet as I held her, Karliah resting her head on my chest. I guess the relaxed mood helped, and certainly the music, as we were soon kissing as we danced. Kissing led to hands exploring. Hands exploring led to Karliah being slowed stripped to nudity. Nudity led to Karliah being placed on her back on the bed, where I could cover every inch of her body with my lips and tongue. I’m fairly sure the music would have covered her cries as I made her cum more than once, and if they did hear us, neither of us cared. 

Lying back later after we’d made love, surprising myself by how long I managed to last before I finally had to release, I did ask what might have been an awkward question, but I was curious. “Was it like this with Gallus?” 

She wasn’t perturbed by the question, no doubt understanding my curiosity to a point. “To be honest, no. That’s not to say Gallus and I were not lovers, but it was nowhere near as physical as you and I are. Gallus and I knew each other for years before we became intimate. It was friendship that became more. With you… Well, with you, Ragnar, the attraction was rather quick, and I knew we’d be intimate sooner rather than later.” 

“I’m not being arrogant when I suggest that happens more often than not.” 

Running a hand up and down my chest before resting on my flaccid cock, she said, “And I’m sure you can understand why. Young. Virile. Quite handsome. And you have the loveliest blue eyes too. Honest eyes, Ragnar. And the thing is, you are a warrior dressed up as a thief.” 

“Despite the natural talent I have towards thievery?” 

“I’m sure you enjoy what you do, and I certainly enjoy working with you. But if you wanted to fight in the civil war, both sides would love someone like you in their ranks.” 

“To be honest, I have no interest in the civil war. Yes, I’m a Nord, but I grew up in the heart of the Empire. Both sides make good arguments. If anyone is the enemy, it’s the Thalmor. Though I don’t know much about them either except we fought them a few years back.” 

She laughed. “Now is not the time for a history lesson either,” she said. Having stroked me as we chatted, my cock was hard again so she swung her leg over me, lowered herself down, and conversation ceased for a time, except for murmurs of desire and affection for the other, the occasional breath of my name, whispered in such a manner that made me even harder, with plenty of kissing dripping with unspoken passion… at least until we both came and quite happily drifted off to sleep a few minutes later. 

The next morning, the Argonian we’d spoken to was waiting for us, letting us know the Icerunner had run aground, and that if we wanted a pick of goods, we should head to where it was. After giving us directions, he headed off, and I suggested we head out in our Nightingale armour. “Just to be sure,” I said. Karliah understood my caution, though we left the hoods and masks off for the moment. We received some glances as we strolled towards the gates, explaining it was armour found on the eastern shores of Morrowind. Complete bullshit, but considering Karliah was a Dunmer, they believed us. 

It wasn’t a long ride to the wreck, ensuring we tied up our horses out of sight. I had no reason to trust anyone we were about to meet, but I was still seeing the benefits of a link up with whoever these people might be. They must have been informed of us coming, as they were rather friendly, one of them introducing themselves as a member of the Blackblood Marauders. Never heard of them before but figured they were pirates. Despite being friendly, I shared a glance with Karliah, words not required, when they said we would need to see Deeja, the sister of the Argonian we’d organised this with, who was further down the ship. 

The pirates had apparently not bothered taking any prisoners, bodies and blood coating the decks. We walked by a number of pirates busy carrying loot out of the ship, taking care to see what they were taking, wondering just how much booty was on the ship. The further we descended, the more I was left thinking it was a trap. Karliah murmured as much, though I suggested that, if it was, we fight our way out. Karliah seemed to enjoy the thought. 

Deeja was waiting for us on the lowest deck of the _Icerunner_. Like all the others, she was friendly to begin with, even shaking our hand. “My brother told me you were coming. I'm supposed to give you what you've earned.” 

Naturally, my eyes turned to the large chest behind her. Instead, I heard footsteps behind us, and knew at least two men were now armed and ready. The Argonian smiled. “Unfortunately for you, I'm afraid the loot has already been moved. You've been useful to the Blackbloods, though. You've earned a quick death.” 

What they didn’t now is that I could unsheathe and strike rather fast. Quickly judging the distance between myself and the Argonian, it took only a step forward after I’d unsheathed to leave a diagonal cut across the chest of the Argonian. As she collapsed back, I twirled to see Karliah fighting off two of the Blackbloods. Stepping into assist, we made short work of them. They were tough, but like always, simply didn’t have the talent that Karliah and I possessed. Once they were both dead, I checked Deeja for evidence, finding a note that suggested her brother, the other Argonian who was named Jaree-Ra, had moved it all somewhere else. 

“Know where Broken Oar Grotto is?” I asked of Karliah. 

“Yes. It’s just a little further along the coast. We won’t even have to take our horses.” 

“Good. Because they all die here, then we go get what’s ours.” 

There was no fucking around now. Armed with sword and shield, Karliah taking out our bow, more blood ran along the decks of the Icerunner, this time being that of the Blackbloods. They knew we were coming, no doubt hearing the screams of their companions as they died, and most stupidly tried to fight us. It was only when we stormed out onto the deck that one or two finally turned and ran, and this time I told Karliah to fire, so they didn’t alert their companions. 

We didn’t have a map but Karliah knew exactly where we were going, aware of various caves used by pirates and shady merchants as places to hide goods they stolen. Before infiltration, Karliah asked what the plan was. I said the Blackbloods were fair game, but if possible, take Jaree-Ra alive first, interrogate him, then kill him. She wasn’t surprised by that, and didn’t argue, as she was as pissed off about what happened as myself. 

Though I would have liked to charge in and start swinging, Karliah suggested we do it as quietly as possible, at least to start with. As I always carried a bow nowadays, she handed me a few arrows and we got to work. It was rather wierd to begin with, alternating who would take the shot. I hadn’t fired an arrow, except for the occasional practice, for quite a while, though each made its mark. As usual, Karliah was ridiculously accurate, and we made it most of the way with barely a sound uttered. 

Taking position on a ledge, there were a couple of sunken boats below us, and a large building that no doubt housed plenty of loot. We could see a few more men on patrol, but no sign of the Argonian yet. Using the fact we hadn’t been located, we fired a few arrows from the ledge. Karliah hit the mark every time, though I missed twice, but we’d whittled down their numbers enough that I could finally unsheathe my sword, getting up close and personal seconds later. 

I really should have taken a couple of wounds but the Nightingale armour was either thicker than I thought, or Nocturnal really was now protecting us. It must be that, because it was only purely luck that allowed to actually divert an arrow that was aimed straight at my face, Karliah immediately firing an arrow straight back at the archer, hers going straight through his throat. 

Once most of the pirates were dead, we were searching for the Argonian, finding him hiding underneath a bed. Dragging him out by his tail, we interrogated him for information, and I’ll be honest, we were not pleasant. Blood was spilled to ensure he told nothing but the truth. But we didn’t stoop to torture, and once we had the information we wanted, we were kind enough to make his death quick. 

The pair of us took a good look around and the loot being held would make the Guild a tonne of coin. Not wanting to leave it unattended, I asked Karliah to return immediately to Riften and have a pair of horse and carts return to take the best of the goods back to the Guild, while I would link up with Erikur in Solitude to fence the rest of it via Gulum-Ei. 

I didn’t stay in the grotto the entire time, as I paid Gulum-Ei to take a shift, and he hired people he knew and trusted to also help out, with the promise of a few more coins too. Karliah returned five days later with Brynjolf and Vex in tow, the pair astounded at what we’d managed to find. Vex was so impressed there were whispered words in my ear about wanting an invite to my new house. Karliah heard, as Vex wasn’t shy in asking, Brynjolf finding it all rather hilarious. 

We spent a few hours loading up the best of the goods, the sort of things that we could move quickly and make plenty of coin. But we also took certain things that would make the Guild simply a nicer place to be. I didn’t live down there any longer, and while I had suggested others could live around the city, many preferred the privacy of the cistern, preferring to spend their coin on other things… Those things usually being drink and women. 

It was a long two-day journey back to Riften with two horse-drawn carts and a pair of horses. But it gave the four of us a chance to talk about things not just about the Guild. I spent some time getting to know Vex, or as much as she was still willing to share. She admitted Vex was not her real name, much like Sapphire. “Some of us are smart enough to keep our identities secret, Ragnar,” she stated with a smirk. 

“Where are you from?” 

“Cyrodiil. I came to Skyrim a long time ago now.” 

“How old are you? And, before you say anything, I have no problem asking a woman that question.” 

“Well, I know old you are, so if this puts your mind at ease, old enough to know who Karliah is, not old enough to have worked with her, and probably old enough to know better than to even think about making our relationship anything but professional.” 

“But?” 

“I’ll be honest, I like the flirting between us, and I find myself away with my thoughts sometimes. The biggest thing? The way you dealt with the Mercer situation. Completely focused on just doing the right thing. I don’t usually care about that, but what Mercer did to us… I know I give Delvin a lot of stick, but he’s my best friend, if one has a best friend in this business, and I didn’t appreciate seeing my friend hurting.” 

“What made you become a thief?” 

“A natural talent that was noticed by Bryn. Mercer put me to the test and, voila, I was accepted.” 

“And what do you hope the future?” 

She shrugged. “I just want to make enough coin so I can buy a little place away from everyone and everything so I can retire in peace.” I couldn’t help glance at her. “No-one wants to do this forever, Ragnar. We want to make enough coin so we can stop eventually. And even with Nocturnal on our side again, your luck won’t hold. It will run out one day, and that’s when you find yourself spending the rest of your days in a small cell, if you’re lucky.” 

It was sensible advice. 

Returning to Riften, we waited until it was dark before we had everyone moving goods down to the Guild, Maven having already paid off the guards in our pay to look the other way. If anyone had doubted my future appointment as Guild Master, I think what we came back with, and also the story about how we gained it, ended any arguments. There was one last city where we needed to gain a foothold in the east of Skyrim and the Guild would have regained all that it had lost since the fall of Gallus. 

It was late by the time I returned to the city, and wanting to see Haelga, I avoided returning home and made my way to her room in the Bunkhouse. What I saw brought me to a halt, a sign she was really missing me. Not only was she naked, she had four fingers in her pussy and the toy up her arse. I quietly closed the door and leaned against it, just watching her in the mix of candle and moonlight. She soon noticed my presence, and simply put her fingers in her mouth before beckoning me to join her. I was naked by the time I was beside her bed, and she left the toy in her arse as I slid my cock inside her. 

Haelga was well and truly double penetrated by one real and one fake cock that night. It was all a little too exciting for myself, and I’m not embarrassed to confess I came much quicker than usual, staying her enough to keep fucking her for a little while longer at least. Haelga simply kissed me and asked me to use the toy on her. I had a lot of fun with that, and she asked me not to be gentle. I wasn’t, amazed at how hard she could take it, and when she finally had an orgasm, she pretty much passed out, leaving me to chuckle as she sleepily told me how much she loved me. 

Holding her in my arms a little later, I asked, “You knew I was back, didn’t you?” 

“I saw you with your friends. I knew you’d come to see me once you were done. I like it when I’m proven right.” 

“If you ever want to put on a show for me…” 

“Love what you walked in on, did you?” 

“You’re beautiful and or sexy all the time, Haelga, but seeing you like that… It’s why I came so quickly.” I paused before adding, “You’ll have to come around to mine tomorrow. I’ll have to show you the special room I’ve designed for us.” 

“Oh, is this to do what we’ve talked about?” 

“Aye, and hopefully it will suit what you would love to do with me. Some of it I had to have made specially, which led to some awkward questions.” 

“But you did it for me?” 

“For us, Haelga.” 

“I’ll come around tomorrow night.” 

“I’ll cook you some dinner first. Don’t expect to go home.” 

I spent the next day relaxing around my home, giving it a good clean before Haelga arrived. That afternoon, I sat out on the balcony with a bottle of wine and a good book, listening to all the noises of Riften. The marketplace was as busy as always, but for some reason, Riften appeared to be alive with people. But there wasn’t the fear I expected, as I heard whispers from people about the presence of the Guild. I’d already slipped word to Brynjolf about future expectations. 

Funnily enough, despite what I did for a living, very few knew the truth, so I heard many calls of hello as I sat on the balcony. I had a short conversation with Ingun as she walked home for lunch, and I’m sure there was a subtle suggestion she was hoping for an invitation up sooner rather than later. Even Grelka wandered by on the way to the Bunkhouse and asked for a tour one day. It simply gave me a good chuckle, amazed at the attraction I seemed to have. Then again, I’d had the same thing in Cyrodiil… 

Haelga knocked on my front door just after sundown. Opening the door, she quickly had to use a finger to shut my mouth. The dress she was hugged her figure perfectly, the amount of cleavage on display very unladylike, the bottom of her dress just below her knees, and I knew straight away she would definitely not be wearing panties. I knew her well enough. 

We ate dinner first and enjoyed a little wine, though our eating and drinking was interrupted by plenty of making out at the same time. Half our meal was eaten before we simply gave into temptation and headed upstairs, though it wasn’t to just strip naked and fuck. I knew Haelga wanted to see the room. So I blindfolded her first before I showed her into the ‘Dibellan Room’. 

Taking off the blindfold, she took one look around before she turned and hugged me tightly. “Just what I dreamed about,” she whispered. 

I showed her everything in the room available, including what was hidden away in the drawers. I still didn’t fully understand nor comprehend everything she wanted, but the room was filled with all the desires she had mentioned. And, apart from being interested myself, the only reason I’d done it was to make her happy. She was already talking about what I could do to her in that room, suggesting that after a night in there, should be sore all over but she’d have had innumerable orgasms. But that would be for later. 

That night, we stuck to the bedroom, where we made love until dawn.


	11. Doing Time

Markarth… Now there is a city I hope I never have to visit again in all my days. What should have started as a simple job to ensure Guild influence ended in… well, quite frankly, unmitigated disaster that I’m still trying to wrap my head around. The fact I’m still alive speaks volumes to pure luck, and is another example that Nocturnal must now watch my back.

It was meant to be a simple job, much like the others. Meet a contact, do a job, ensure the spread of Guild influence, not only in the city but throughout the entire Hold. It all started to go horribly wrong the moment Karliah and I walked in the city gates…

* * *

Stabling our horses, it had been some time since I’d visited the city. In fact, I’d only visited the place once, when I had to find Calcelmo, infiltrated his laboratory and retrieved the information that eventually found Karliah innocent of what she’d been accused of.

Remembering how on edge the city had felt last time I’d visited, I mentioned it to Karliah a couple of times during our ride, and reminded her a final time before walking through the gates. Coming to a stop just past the entrance, the marketplace was busy, as they always are, but it was the glint of a weapon that caught my eye. Before I could even shout a warning, Karliah had her bow out and arrow knocked. There was a loud voice of someone shouting something about Forsworn, the scream of a woman, and then a loud groan as the arrow Karliah fired found the exact spot it had been fired.

City guard were on the spot in seconds. Thankfully the woman still lived, though had taken a wound across her stomach, Karliah immediately stepping forward to help heal her. Meanwhile, the guard herded everyone who had been present into a corner and warned us to forget what we’d just heard.

“We know what we heard. The Forsworn are here!” someone retorted, with plenty of agreement.

Swords were unsheathed. The city guard were apparently not fucking around. The guard in charge pointed his sword at various people. “I will not repeat myself. The Markarth City Guard are in control. There are no Forsworn in this city. Do I make myself clear?”

There were murmurs of agreement, I think most people simply saying yes so the guard would piss off and leave the rest of us to talk about what happened. Karliah was still looking after the woman as the crowd finally dispersed, and that’s when I had someone hand me a letter, claiming it was mine. Before I could even say anything to him, he’d already walked off. Opening the letter, it simply said ‘Meet at the Shrine of Talos.’

“What’s that?” Karliah wondered.

“Someone just handed me this letter.” I told her what it said, and though both of us were intrigued, we agreed to help the woman first. Karliah had managed to heal her and we escorted her to the Silver Blood Inn, where she had a room. Once we had her lying down on her bed, she told us who she was and, to our complete surprise, admitted why she was in Markarth. If the knowledge that she was an Imperial spy had been known, little wonder someone had tried to attack her, though she was adamant no-one could possibly have known.

I showed her the note I’d been given, and while I couldn’t explain who had given it to me, as it had happened so fast, I couldn’t describe the person, but she suggested it could be related to the attack on her. I think that was a suggestion for me to head out. So I headed out alone, Karliah letting me know that she would buy us a room for a few days.

Walking into the Shrine of Talos, I was surprised it was still open, considering the worshipping of him was banned. I walked in without a weapon in hand, but my sword and dagger were both sheathed, shield on my back. I could have one or two weapon in hand within two seconds if this was a ruse.

The man I met introduced himself as Eltrys. He wanted the help of an outsider as he couldn’t trust a soul within the city walls itself. Asking just what the hell was going on, he replied, “You want answers? Well, so do I. So does everyone in this city. A man goes crazy in the market. Everyone knows he's a Forsworn agent. Guards do nothing. Nothing but clean up the mess.”

“Why not go to the guards? The jarl?”

“Because they’re either in on it or refuse to deal with it, keeping their heads in the sand.” He sighed and sagged against the stone pillar behind him, running a hand through his long hair. “Look, all of this, what you just witnessed in the market, it’s been going on for years. And all I've been able to find is murder and blood. I need your help. Please. Can you find out why that woman was attacked, who's behind Weylin and the Forsworn? I promise I'll pay you for any information you bring me.”

This was well above what I normally did. I was a bloody thief, not an investigator. But a part of me, a small part, but it was surprisingly vocal, was interested in what was going on. Who in their right mind would attack a woman in broad daylight, knowing they would probably die because of it? You’d have to be an absolutely bloody fanatic.

I said I’d help, on the proviso he told me everything he knew. So I asked about the murders, unsurprised to hear they’d begun around the time of the civil war and just afterwards. The Forsworn themselves were natives of the Reach, opposed to Nord rule. As for Weylin, the man who’d tried to murder Margaret, Eltrys knew little about him, and knew nothing about Margaret except her name. Asking the best way to keep in contact, he said I would be watched by a couple of people who did believe him, and whenever I entered the shrine, he would already be waiting.

Returning to the Silver Blood Inn, Margaret was alone in her room, so I sat down with her and discussed what I’d spoken about. She knew Eltrys, and warned me about the reputation he had in Markarth. However, once I’d explained what he told me, she believed him and me, and went into further detail of why she was in Markarth.

“Apart from just keeping an eye on things, I was sent here to obtain the deed for Cidhna Mine.”

“Whatever for?”

“It’s the largest silver mine in Skyrim, and its proceeds are used to fund the Stormcloak army. Aside from that, I’m also investigating Thonar Silver-Blood.”

“Okay, why him?”

“We believe he is the man behind the Forsworn. But I think your first avenue should be looking into the man who tried to kill me. What was his name?”

“Weylin. Apparently he lived in the Warrens.”

“I can only suggest you find what you can there and come back to me.”

Karliah was sitting at the bar, so I pulled her aside next to the fireplace and explained what was going on. She thought I was getting in over my head, and that Markarth’s problems were not my own, but I had to admit that I was intrigued by it all, and though part of me was screaming to simply do the job we’d come for and leave, the other part wanted to see it through. She wasn’t particularly pleased, but relented in the face of my yearning to do it. “I might make us a few coin too,” I suggested.

It had already been a long day, so by the time I visited the Warrens, it was already growing dark. The Warrens reminded me of the Ratway in many respects, so I remained quiet as I moved down the dark hallway. I eventually found a couple of people huddled over a campfire and asked a few vague questions about Weylin. Of course, they knew him rather well, and after saying I was looking into the matter, one of them gave me a spare key and said I could take a look around if it helped.

To say Weylin had absolutely nothing would be close enough to correct. There was some hay and a tatty blanket which I assume he slept on. It was under the blanket that I found a letter. The words were few, but it was clear Weylin had been ordered to kill. But there was no name, just an initial from whoever sent the letter.

Walking back outside, there was a large brute of a man clearly waiting for me. I was always amazed that people would want to fight me, considering I looked rather sinister in my black armour, but some people were obviously idiots. I strode forward until we were a couple of metres apart.

“I assume you want something.”

“You've been digging around where you don't belong. It's time you learned a lesson.”

His first swing was so telegraphed; it was actually rather pathetic. Blocking that and putting my own fist straight into his gut, following that up with a knee to his groin. I have no problem fighting dirty, and I hate prolonged fights. Get your opponent on the ground as soon as possible were the words given to me by Corvus.

Grabbing him by the collar, I raised my fist and put it straight into his nose. He cried out as blood flowed, and I glanced around to ensure no-one thought they should step in. “Now, who sent you?”

He looked around, obviously hoping someone would help him. I raised my fist again and he pleaded with me not to hit him again. “Nepos the Nose! I was sent by Nepos the Nose! The old man hands out the orders. He told me to make sure you didn't get in the way. That's all I know, I swear!”

I let him go and told him to fuck off. He rose to his feet and scarpered without looking back. I now had a name, but it was dark, I was tired and already fed up, so I figured I could at least spend a night in the Silver-Blood Inn before finishing up. I did head to the Shrine of Talos, where Eltrys wasn’t lying, he was already waiting for me. Informing him of what I’d found out, all he suggested was that I be careful when approaching Nepos.

Returning to the Silver-Blood Inn, my attention was immediately taken by a woman I still fondly remembered, even though I’d only met her once, and even though we’d never done anything more than talk. Taking a seat beside her at the bar, she was surprised to see me but appeared to remember me at least, hugging me from the side as she said hello.

“How are you, Muiri?”

“I’m well, Ragnar,” she replied in that beautiful soft voice of hers, “What brings you back to Markarth?”

“Just some work.”

“It’s nice to see you again. I didn’t think you’d be back.”

“Did I make a good first impression?”

“Oh, definitely. I enjoyed our night together. It was nice to just enjoy a conversation with a man without anything expected from me in a return.”

“Still having it rough?” I remembered one of the many topics we’d discussed.

“It’s not as bad as it was, but to put it simply, if I’m interested, I’ll let them know. But I have other things on my mind at the moment.”

“Any news from Windhelm?”

She sighed, gulping half a cup of her wine before replying. “Nilsine replied to my letter. Instead of being upset by it, I was just left… angered, but also hollow.” She paused before adding quietly, “I just feel alone now.”

“Surely you have friends around here?”

Sighing, she did reply, “I do, but no-one as close as Nilsine and Friga. They were like family.” She turned towards me. “Would you like to come to my place for dinner?" 

I’ll admit the question caught me off-guard. I figured it was just for dinner, but I thought I should say, “I am here with someone, Muiri.”

“Oh… A girlfriend?”

“Not quite. It’s… complicated. Let me go have a word with her, and I’ll let her know what I’m doing.”

To my surprise, Karliah thought it was hilarious when I found her lying back on a bed, reading a book. “By Ysmir, you don’t waste any time, do you, Ragnar?”

“Firstly, I’ve met her before. Secondly, it’s just dinner.”

“Uh-huh. I’ll see you in the morning, Ragnar.”

“You don’t mind?”

“No. We’re on the job, and we’re not together. So you go have some fun.”

“It’s just dinner!” I exclaimed, before I groaned, hearing her laugh away as I headed back to the bar. Muiri knocked back the rest of her drink and took hold of my arm as she led the way back to her place. It wasn’t a large place, Muiri stating she certainly couldn’t afford one of the bigger houses, but there was a joint sitting room and kitchen, with an adjoining bedroom. A fireplace provided plenty of light and warmth, Muiri having paid for some comfortable furniture, as we sat together on a lounge after she’d cooked a simple but tasty dinner. Opening a bottle of wine afterwards, she kicked off her shoes and curled her feet underneath her as I turned towards her. The faint facial markings she had under her eyes accentuated her cheeks, and she had dark eyeshadow, which highlighted her eyes. She was a lot smaller than me, certainly slimmer too.

The one thing I definitely thought is that she was beautiful.

“Ragnar, can I ask you a rather forward question?”

“Sure.”

“Will you stay with me tonight?”

“Of course. But…”

“I know it will most likely be a one-time thing, though if you’re ever in Markarth again…”

And, with that, she practically leapt on me. She wasn’t desperate. No, she was just _very_ eager. So I picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. No point wasting time starting on the lounge. I had to resist tearing at her clothes, though I didn’t take my time stripping her off. She was rather petite as she stood in just her underwear, and once she had me down to mine, she took a few moments to run her hand over my muscular but scarred body. I returned the favour as I leaned down to kiss her again, deftly undoing her bra with a hand, freeing her small but perky breasts.

Lying her back on the bed, I felt enormous in size compared to her, kissing down her neck towards her breasts. I could feel her legs already widen as my tented cock was already pressing against her. As I suckled at her breasts, hearing her sweet moans, I snaked a hand down her body towards her underwear, sliding it under and towards her sex, feeling a little hair before I felt her wetness. I wasted no time sliding a finger inside her, feeling her back arch under me as she moaned a little louder.

Kissing down her body, I removed her underwear as she spread her legs wide, and I immediately lowered my mouth to lick her. She shuddered as my tongue slid up and down, teasing her entrance. She was very excited already, leaving me wondering how long she would last. “Right there,” she breathed, so I took her advice and tickled her with tongue, though once I heard her breathing change, I moved up to start tickling her clit as I slid a couple of fingers inside her again. The effect was almost immediate, amazed at how tight she felt with just my fingers, already leaving me wondering how she would take my cock.

I didn’t pump her too hard with my fingers, focusing most of my attention on her clit. She was soon whimpering and writhing at everything I was doing, loving all the little sounds she was making. She liked to whisper ‘Yes’ quite a lot, so at least that was telling me she was enjoying what I was doing it. When I felt a hand moved through my hair, I figured that was her telling me not to move it again.

“Ragnar,” she breathed, before taking a couple of deep breaths, “Ragnar!” she cried a lot louder.

I felt her thighs try and press against me, though I managed to keep them spread with my shoulders. Writhing even more, she screamed that she was going to cum. That just made me double down on my efforts, and I was soon rewarded with a last cry as her back arched, feeling her squeeze my fingers so tightly, it was almost impossible to move them.

Then she stilled and I lifted my head, withdrawing my fingers and cleaning them with my mouth. Standing up next to the bed, I looked down at her, and she returned the sweetest of smiles. “Gods, I can’t remember the last time…”

She moved so I could lie down next to her and she immediately cuddled into me, making me chuckle to myself. “Don’t get too attached,” I whispered.

“Ragnar, you’re the first man to give me… Who in oblivion taught you all that?”

“It’s a long story. My life is a long story.”

“I’d like to hear it one day,” she murmured, adding, “I need a few minutes here. My heart is racing.” To emphasise that, she grabbed my hand and put two fingers to her neck. She wasn’t lying. It was galloping along.

“Been a while?” I wondered.

“The last man I was intimate with was… him. And he never did that.”

To prove how much I loved doing it, I did it again. Fifteen minutes later, she was little more than an out of breath, sweaty and quite satisfied young woman, eager to smother me in kisses. Despite being rather worn out, she near begged for me to be inside her, so I slid off my underwear and sat on my knees before her so she could see my cock for the first time.

“Gods,” she whispered.

“I know. So I’ll be gentle.”

“Please!” she said with a smile.

I couldn’t help groan as I felt her warm, tight wetness around my cock. I had to take my time, as I watched her face, and while it wasn’t painful, I could see she was having to adjust, but any time she met my eyes, she simply smiled and urged me to carry on, albeit slowly. Slowly sliding back and forth, she eventually managed to take most of my length, and I warned her that I probably wasn’t going to last that long.

“Do I feel that good?”

“Definitely,” I muttered.

That made her smile again, wrapping her arms around my neck so I could kiss her. I didn’t feel her legs wrap around me, looking down to see she’d spread those wide, feet resting on the bed, just trying to feel comfortable. So I just focused on the feeling of her tight little pussy and her amazing little body. I had to resist the urge to start properly fucking her, though her kisses were quite the distraction, but after barely five minutes, I could feel the end was nigh.

“I’m close,” I whispered, “Where?”

“I have potions, Ragnar.”

“Good. Anywhere else would be a waste anyway.”

I came really hard. I’m talking the sort of climax after which I feel completely drained and want to have a sleep right away. I managed to stay hard for a little while, as Muiri wrapped both arms and legs around me to hold me in place for a while, just enjoying the feeling of my cock inside her. I enjoyed the feeling too, so wasn’t going to complain. Resting on my forearms, we continued to kiss despite the feeling of wanting to sleep.

My cock eventually softened so I had to pull out, and after flopping onto the bed, Muiri turned onto her size, placing an arm across my chest, running her fingers through my faint chest hair. I held her petite body next to mine. “When will you be in Markarth again?”

I couldn’t help chuckle. “I’m not sure. It will depend on work.”

“What do you do?”

“Do you want the honest answer or a lie?”

“Considering my life sometimes, I don’t really care what you do.”

“Okay…” I paused, thinking if I really should, then figured it probably wasn’t going to matter now. I had a feeling she would like me regardless. “I work for the Thieves Guild. In fact, I’m pretty much running it nowadays.”

I felt her shrug. “Could be a hell of a lot worse. Are you good?”

“Haven’t been caught yet and taken the top job after only a few months in Cyrodiil.”

I glanced at her and she looked at me. No judgement whatsoever. Only a contented smile. “Well, if you wanted to get me something nice for when you’re next in Markarth…”

“What would you like?”

“A nice dress. Maybe one that I could wear for you next time you’re here…”

Chuckling, I said, “Well, if I can’t get my hands on one personally, I have people who can.”

The conversation had helped us both recover, as after a few minutes of making out, I was hard again and my hand slid down to her pussy, where she was already wet and willing to go. She kept me on my back, flinging a leg over my body and running her pussy up and down my cock. She was a natural brunette, with rather pretty hazel eyes. Watching her sit up and place her cock my entrance, it was mesmerising watching it disappear inside her little body. I keep mentioning little, because I was around six foot, maybe an inch above, and she was no more than five-two at most, and I was probably overestimating.

But my whole cock disappeared inside her this time, feeling her groin touch mine. She had a good shuffle to adjust before leaning forward to kiss me. I bent my knees and grabbed her arse as I slowly started to thrust up into her, simply watching her eyes. “Gods, you feel enormous,” she breathed.

“And you feel extremely tight, Muiri. Do you do exercises or something?”

That made her giggle. “No, all natural, Ragnar. Do you like my tight pussy?” 

“I have a great reason to return to Markarth constantly now.”

“I wouldn’t complain if you did,” she whispered before we resumed kissing.

I was soon giving it to her a little harder, and she had to break the kiss, resting her forehead against mine, her eyes alive with all the feelings and sensations of the moment. “Fuck me,” she cried quietly, “Fuck me.”

So I did. Not too hard. Not like I did with some of the others. But she got fucked like she wanted. And she loved it, eventually sitting up, still allowing me to keep control though she grabbed one of my hands for balance as she started to bounce, meeting my thrusts, her other hand trying to fondle herself. “I’ll cum anyway, but this will help make it even better,” she said.

I lasted a little longer than our first time, mostly because I’d cum so hard, but watching her ride me was a pleasure for both my eyes and my cock. I think men are visual creatures at times, which is why I loved it when women rode me, because I could see everything. I was trying to hold on so she could have another orgasm. There is no greater feeling than watching a woman cum as she’s sitting on your cock. Well, to me anyway.

Thankfully she did, and as she was climaxing, I pumped her a few times. She was aware of what I was doing, and although she fell forward onto my chest, she told me to keep going until I came again. My second was just as good as my first, and once it was finished, I wrapped my arms around her and had a little nap.

Little did I know that would be the last time I would have sex for… I’m not sure how long…

* * *

The shit well and truly hit the fan the next day. My visit to confront Thonar Silver-Blood went worse than I expected. He lived, but his wife was killed by Forsworn agents, and it was only after we killed them did he admit the whole, horrible truth. A traitor to the city. A traitor to the Empire. Frankly, I should have killed him then and there, but something stopped me. Probably the thought that I wasn’t a cold-blooded murdered.

Next on the list was Nepos the Nose. I grabbed Karliah from the Silver Blood Inn for back up before walking up to his front door. The woman who answered didn’t want to let me, but Nepos called out, inviting me in. I wasted no time on ceremony, flat out accusing him of being a Forsworn agent. To my amazement, he didn’t deny it. In fact, he seemed… pleased.

“Ah, yes. You've proven to be a real bloodhound. Well, you've sniffed me out. I've been playing this game for almost 20 years. Sending the young to their deaths. All in the name of the Forsworn. And I'm tired. So tired.”

“Why? Why all the senseless deaths?”

He looked at me as if I were an idiot. “Because my king told me to do it. Madanach. When the uprising ended at the hands of the Nords, they threw him in the mines. I don't know how, but he still lives. I get his messages, and I hand out his orders without question.”

He went on and on about Ulfric, the uprising and Madanach, but in the end, all I could ask was, “Why are you telling me all this? You will join Madanach in the mines.”

The old bastard laughed at me. “My dear boy, what makes you think you're getting out of here alive? You were seen coming in. The girl at the door is a Forsworn agent masquerading as a maid. You aren't the first one to have gotten this far. You won't be the last.”

Bullshit, I thought. And I’d come armed for a reason. Before his maid could strike, Karliah already had blade in hand. I didn’t want to, but the first to die was Nepos. He barely had weapon in hand as my blade found his neck, watching blood spurt out in an arc as he spun to the ground. Two more Forsworn agents ran into the room, two against three. They were good, probably some of the better opponents Karliah and I had faced. We both took wounds but we somehow walked out of the house alive.

I knew I had to speak to Eltrys straight away. Karliah stayed out of sight as I entered the shrine. Ever have that feeling in the pit of the stomach that something is wrong. The first thing that grabbed my attention was the body of Eltrys. His lifeless eyes stared into nothing, his body covered in blood, numerous wounds across his chest and stomach. Crouching down over his body to close his eyes, I knew I wasn’t alone, but by then, it was already too late.

“You were warned, both of you, but you just had to go and cause trouble. Now we have to pin all these recent murders on you. Silence witnesses. Work. Work. Work.”

“You didn’t have to kill him,” I muttered, “Why? What’s the bloody point?”

“We had a nice little deal going between Thonar and Madanach until you and Eltrys started snooping around. Well, you wanted to find the man responsible for those killings? You'll have plenty of time with the ‘King in Rags’ when you're in Cidhna Mine.”

My hand went to the hilt of my sword without thinking. I heard their blades unsheathed in response. “There are six of us in here, and more outside. I would think very carefully about what you do in the next few seconds.”

I removed my hand and spread my arms wide, feeling a guard each take an arm. Hauled to my feet, one of the guards looked me up and down before putting a fist into my gut. He had put all the power he could into it, so despite my best efforts, I still wanted to collapse. I was then dragged out, noticing even more guards outside. I made I shook my head as no doubt Karliah was watching, and I didn’t want us going on a killing spree of guards. We could kiss goodbye to any hope of ever establishing influence if we did that. Our current predicament was bad enough.

She was definitely watching and observing though as I was dragged to the entrance of the mine. Turning back, I simply yelled, “Do the job and go!” I doubt she’d do just that, but there was little she could actually do. I figured she might try and rescue me in the end, which wouldn’t be so bad, so I added, “That’s an order. Job and go.”

I knew she’d ignore it. I hoped she did.

Dragged in front of an orc guard, one of the other guards detailed all the crimes I was guilty of. All lies. If they’d caught me for thieving, I wouldn’t have happily complied, but at least there would have been truth. But no, instead I find myself accused of murdering Eltrys, finding out that he had a wife and small child. Nepos and his maids? Well, we did kill them, but primarily in self-defence. They added in a few other people they’d no doubt taken care of during the entire conspiracy. They even pinned the death of Thonar’s wife on me. Bastards.

I was told I’d never see the sun again, smacked in the back of the head, and I’m not sure what happened after that, at least for a little while.

Waking up some time later, they’d stripped me of armour and weapons. The orc guard stood there, flinging me some thin clothing to dress myself in. Once I’d put those on, I was escorted at sword point into the mine. There were no guards inside, only prisoners, and they all seemed to know me, as I was immediately called ‘The Lifer’. I learned quickly I wasn’t the only one totally fucked over by the city guard.

“So what do we do?” I asked Uraccen, who was surprisingly friendly and full of information.

“We dig. We eat. We piss and shit. We sleep. And we do that seven days a week. If we don’t dig enough silver in a week, we don’t eat. More than enough bodies have been carried out of here due to hunger, exhaustion and murder. Try not to let yours be another.”

“Subtle suggestion to earn my way?”

“There is only one other way out of here, and that’s by talking to Madanach. But talking to Madanach means going through Borkul the Beast?”

“And I take it that the big cunt of an orc by that gate over there?”

“That’s him. And,” he looked me up and down, “While you’re a big lad, he’s bigger, stronger and meaner. And considering none of us have had sex in a long time down here, you could end up getting something somewhere you don’t want it.”

“Delightful.”

“Just giving you fair warning. Borkul will beat you senseless, then if he likes you that way, he’ll fuck you for good measure. And like the fight, it won’t be gentle.”

“I take it that’s happened before?”

“We generally head off down the tunnels when someone tries. You hear them when they’re beaten. Then you hear them afterwards.” He sighed, shaking his head, a slight shudder too. I guess it happened more often than I realised. “Take the rest of the day to meet everyone. Tomorrow, you dig.”

That’s what I did. The men were in there for a variety of crimes. Most were quiet but friendly enough. It was back-breaking work, sweating with minutes, so much that I removed my shirt. I had a few questions about the scars, figuring I’d been a bandit or mercenary. I admitted that I was a thief, though that’s not what I’d been jailed for. Most of them already knew, and while sympathetic, they had their own problems.

Seeing as we never saw daylight, the mine worked to its own clock. We basically mined until we were exhausted, ate and drank, slept, then got up and did it all over again. It was always as a group, so we knew everyone was pulling the same weight. It was amazing at how everyone cooperated. While I worked, I thought of everything I’d done since arriving in Cyrodiil. Part of me thought I was just being punished for everything else I’d done. I tried not to think about all the girls I’d been with, though I did wonder what Karliah was up to. I figured there would be a lot of guards outside the gates to the mine, which is why she probably thought a rescue wasn’t on the cards. At least a dozen entered the mine at the end of my first week to deliver food and take what we’d mined.

It was probably a fortnight at least before I finally decided I’d had enough. Uraccen tried to talk me out of it, but I needed out. I had shit to do. “I warned you, lad. You do know what will happen if you lose.”

“I know. But he hasn’t fought me before.”

He probably thought I was being an arrogant bastard, but he didn’t try and stop me again. I walked up to Borkul. “I want to see Madanach.”

“To see Madanach, you have to pay the toll. You can either earn his favour, or you can go through me.”

“Option two, please.”

He looked me up and down, and I knew exactly why. “I prefer them when they’re young. I’m going to make you squeal, boy.”

I knew the fist was coming, swerving out of the way, immediately raising a foot to his groin. It was a quick, fast kick, but it did enough. It hurt, and it made him angry. An angry fighter made misjudgements and mistakes. That’s how I wanted him. He remained circumspect to start with, but he only ever swung his fists. I replied with fists, elbows, kicks, knees, anything and everything I had learned. There was no honour in such fights like this. The only important thing was winning.

He continued to taunt me, about how he was going to make me bleed, about how he was going to fuck me for a long time afterwards, suggesting I might even enjoy it. I let him talk and concentrated on winning. When I managed to take out one of his knees, forcing him down on the other, I put a knee into his face. Frankly, it should have knocked him out, but although it stunned him, he didn’t go down. But it was now he who was bleeding, and he knew this was serious, suddenly growing quieter, less taunts, more focus.

He was hurting, though, now hobbling on one leg. I got in close, a series of punches, deflecting his, feeling him weaken. Another knee and elbow to his head before I escaped his clutches had him wobbling. A sweep of his legs finally had him on his back. You never hit a man in the face with a fist, not unless you want to break your hand, particularly if said male is an orc. So I got in the right position and used my knee, busting his nose and mouth. Hand around his throat, I asked softly, “May I see Madanach now please?”

“Where the fuck did you learn to fight?”

“That’s not important right now. What is important is that I don’t want to have to kill you. Despite what I’m in here for, I’m not actually a murderer. But I will if I have to.”

“Yeah, fuck, sure. Go on. Go see him. Just get the fuck off me.”

Madanach was as I expected. An absolute fucking lunatic. Batshit insane. Knew exactly who I was, of course. He suggested that escape was possible, but he hadn’t, simply due to the deal he had with Thonar. But he suggested that the situation had changed, and that perhaps it was time he left to re-join the fight. I said I just wanted out, and I didn’t care who with. But if Madanach was willing to help me, then I’d forget all the shit from before if he got me out.

Before we left, Madanach had a few loose ends to tie up. One of my fellow prisoners found himself with a few holes from a shiv, the deed not done by myself but by someone else. Madanach wrote some letters, I assume to send word to his army outside, and told us we’d have to wait a few days, so for now, we carried on as normal. Once everything was prepared, around five days later, he gathered us together, where he made a nice little speech to get everyone psyched up for battle, then we headed into a secret tunnel under Markarth.

Just before exiting out into the city itself, there was a female Forsworn waiting for us. She handed over my armour and weapons, and I was given a little time to get dressed and arm myself before we headed out.

It was a fucking calamity. By the time we were on the streets, the Forsworn was in a full scale battle with the city guard. And I got the fuck out of there, particularly once I heard the shout of my name, looking around to see Karliah waving at me from a nearby doorway. I ran towards her and we watched the two sides battle it out. Madanach did make his escape, doing so by killing Thonar Silver-Blood and numerous city guard along the way. At least a dozen Forsworn made it to the city gates.

As for Karliah and I, we melted into the shadows, keeping to the back streets of the city. She told me she did the job we were there for, and that Margaret had been to the jarl about what happened. We headed back to the Silver-Blood Inn, where it was agreed I would lay low until Margaret went to see the jarl again the next day. I barely slept that night, the adrenaline still flowing, and Karliah was delighted to see me, of course. Not in the way you might expect. I was filthy, probably stank to high heaven, and desperately wanted a wash. Once I’d cleaned up and eaten, I appreciated a bed to lie on, Karliah keeping me company. I wasn’t in the mood, and she was happy just to lie with me.

The next morning, we walked up to the Keep, where I met the jarl. Karliah and Margaret showed them all the evidence we had gathered, but the jarl was already aware of what had happened, and quickly cleared my name of any wrongdoing. That was a relief, and I thanked him for it.

Before leaving, I did stop to see Muiri. She was aware of my incarceration and was delighted to see me a free man. I let her know I was leaving immediately, but gave her the name of my house in Riften, and asked her to keep in contact. I also promised that I would return to Markarth as soon as I was able. That’s how much I liked her, as despite the shit I’d just been through, I’d return to see her again in a heartbeat.

I can’t say I was sad to walk through the city gates, heading towards the stables. The sense of relief as we took the road east was almost overwhelming, not in the sense of wanting to weep, just the sense that I was still alive and no longer behind bars. Better yet, Karliah assured me that our influence was now assured in the Reach, so for intents and purposes, the Guild was back to where it was many years ago.

That would be a cause for celebration on our return to Riften.


	12. The Master

It took two nights for us to finally crest the hill that would lead us to Riften. It was afternoon by the time we’d stabled our horses, and the first thing I wanted to do was see Haelga, as I knew she’d be worried sick about me. Karliah said she’d head down to the cistern, spread the news, and we’d all gather the next day for whatever happened next. She assured me, though, that by the end of the next day, I would officially be the Guild Master for the Thieves Guild of Skyrim. 

And then I’d start laying down some of my own laws. Brynjolf and Karliah were aware of some ideas I had.

As soon as I walked in the door, Haelga ran and jumped into my arms, wrapping both arms and legs around me, little surprise she was tearful at the same time. I just held onto her as tightly, reassuring her I was absolutely fine and that I’d been caught up in something not to do with what I did for a living. Simply not letting me go, I proved my strength by managing to carry her upstairs, finally resting her arse on the table. “Haelga, I’m fine,” I whispered again.

She lifted her head, a crooked smile on her face, her cheeks rather wet. “I was so worried when you didn’t return after a few days. And with no word from anyone, I just assumed the worst.”

Using a thumb to gently wipe each cheek, I said, “Let me give you the short version. Ever heard of the Forsworn?” She shook her head. “They’re a bunch of natives to the west of Skyrim. Lot of shit going on over there. I got caught up in some sort of conspiracy. Lot of death. In the end, I had a few murders pinned on me and I was thrown in jail.” That made her gasp. “I know, and I thought I was done for. But the leader of the Forsworn was in there with me, and I helped him and myself escape. A couple of friends had helped gather evidence of my innocence, and after a meeting with the jarl, I was declared innocent of all crimes. I returned straight here because I wanted out of that bloody city.”

Now she smiled. “And you came straight to me?”

I cupped her cheek with my hand, watching her eyes close for a moment. “Where else would I go?”

It shouldn’t come as a great surprise that our kisses turned into something else. As I’d interrupted her day, we couldn’t exactly have a long lovemaking session in bed, but that didn’t stop her undoing the belt and trousers to take out my cock, taking down her panties at the same time, and the groan I made as I slid inside her was probably heard all the way around Riften. But it wasn’t a hard, fast fuck. I wanted to appreciate every moment I was inside her, as she still hadn’t moved her legs from around me. I knew I wasn’t going to last long, Karliah and I hadn’t done anything on the way back to Riften, so it had been at least a couple of weeks. I let Haelga know, and she didn’t care. She’d just missed me and stated that we’d have a much longer session that night.

My legs nearly gave out when I came, causing Haelga to giggle at my reaction. “Was it that good?” she wondered coyly. I just kissed her and growled in her ear that she was getting fucked hard that night. “Is that a promise?” she whispered into my ear.

“How about the Dibellan room?”

“Oh… Oh, yes, Ragnar! I’ve been thinking about that.”

“Tonight then. I’ll cook you a nice meal, we’ll drink some wine, and all you need to do is come prepared.”

She knew what I meant by that. “Am I going home sore tomorrow morning, Ragnar?”

“Would you like to?”

“I don’t want to be able to sit down all day.” Gods, I loved this woman. And the thought immediately made my cock start to harden. “Like that thought, Ragnar?” she breathed.

I teased her by pulling out, which made her moan with frustration. I smiled, wagging a finger in her direction. “Good things come to those who wait, Haelga.”

Grabbing my cock, she pulled me back towards her. “Please,” she pleaded quietly, placing it at her entrance. So I gently slid back inside her, feeling her legs immediately wrap around me again, her mouth eager for mine. There was no way I’d have another climax any time soon, so I knew it was for her. Running one of my hands along her legs, I slid it to where I could use my thumb on her clit. The first touch made her jolt up off the table, causing her to giggle, before she grabbed my hand, sucked on my thumb, then placed it back where it was.

She climaxed a few minutes later, holding onto me tightly as she moaned my name, complimenting me on many things at the same time. Then she had another little weep. “I was thinking it would never happen again,” she whispered.

“I’m sorry.” I genuinely felt it.

“It’s okay. You kept your promise. You came back. It just took a little longer than expected.”

We cleaned up a few minutes later, heading back downstairs, where Svana probably knew what we’d been up to but didn’t make a big deal, simply saying hello to me. Haelga and I hugged again before I left, with her promising she would be at mine as soon as possible.

Heading straight to Riftweald after a quick stop at the market for supplies, I closed the door behind me, took a deep breath, then headed straight to bed. Not to sleep, simply to enjoy a soft mattress at my back for the first time in what felt like weeks. I did eventually have a nap, but only for an hour or two, waking up to see the sunset as I sat on the balcony with a glass of wine, taking in the sounds of Riften slowly winding down for the night.

Heading back inside once I could see stars in the sky, the first thing I needed to do was get dinner ready. I had meat ready to cook, some potatoes that I would mash and add herbs, and some fresh vegetables to add a little more flavour. I had a selection of wines that I now kept, and picked out one that I knew Haelga liked. I figured we’d probably eat half the meal at most before heading upstairs to fuck.

Haelga arrived a little later, knocking at my door. Upon opening it, she was a vision in red. It was a dress I’d had delivered to her a while ago, something Gulum-Ei had sent from Solitude. It was a strapless number that showed off her impressive cleavage, tight to her body at her hips and flowed down, the bottom just above her ankles. On her feet were a pair of red shoes, and she also carried a small red bag. Probably nothing in it, just to compliment her look. She’d done her hair and there were faint traces of make up on her face.

“Are you going to invite me in, Ragnar?” she asked, hiding her giggle.

Standing to the side, I gestured for her to come in. “Sorry. You just look…”

“Yes?”

I grabbed her hand and pulled her close. “Beautiful, Haelga,” I said softly. The smile she returned was heart-meltingly sweet as I laid a soft kiss on her cheek.

Escorting her to the table, I sat her down and poured a glass of wine. She knew it was her favourite upon taking her first sip as I headed into the kitchen to finish dinner. Returning a few minutes later with a plate each, we ate mostly in comfortable silence. We both knew what was going to happen that night, so there was no point discussing it. And the only other topic would have been Markarth, which would have dampened the mood.

Haelga was hungry, as we did finish our meal, along with a couple of cups of wine. After clearing away the plates, I grabbed her hand and asked, “Sitting room or Dibellan room?”

“What do you think, Ragnar?”

We headed upstairs immediately.

The Dibellan room was full of all the instruments Haelga had told me about. There was a chest full of toys I could use on her, most which had to be specifically made and shipped to the house. There were manacles on the wall, where I could tie her there. There was a bench where I could manacle her wrists and her legs as she was bent forward. There was a swing I could put her in. There were chains from the room I could attach her too.

Walking into the room, she asked me to untie the back of her dress, unsurprised to see that, once it fell to the ground, she was naked. Turning towards me, she dropped to her knees without any hesitation. I caressed her cheek. “I love you,” I said quietly.

“I love you,” she said, “Now, are you going to take control, Ragnar?”

I smirked as I replied, “What do you think?”

Walking across to the chest of drawers, I opened one and had a look. Taking a long piece of black cloth, I wrapped that around her head, covering her eyes. The smile on her face suggested she liked that idea. “Just my other sensations now,” she said.

As she sat there on her knees, waiting for whatever came next, I quickly undressed myself. When she felt my cock prod her lips, she wasted no time opening her mouth, and she eagerly tried to take my length as quickly as possible. She did use one of her hands but I told her not too. “Bind them,” she suggested.

Walking back to the drawers, I took out a leather strip and bound her hands together behind her back. Back in position, now she could only use her mouth on me. I wasn’t going to start out hard straight away, though I could have face-fucked her and she’d have enjoyed it. No, we would start sedate and ramp up as the night went along. But she was going to take a mouthful to start with, as the quicker I came, the longer I would last next time.

But I didn’t warn her, and she squealed when she felt the first hot blast, but she greedily swallowed it down, wanting more. As I said, I really loved this woman. Withdrawing from her mouth, she looked up at me blindly, no doubt sensing where I was. “Did you like that, Ragnar?”

“Haelga, you know how good you are.”

“Whatever I can do to please you, Ragnar.”

Helping her to her feet, I led her towards the bench. Lying her down on her front, I unbound her hands from behind her back but attached them to the manacles, doing the same with her ankles. I could see the excitement in her body language as I returned to the chest of drawers. Grabbing what I wanted, I walked back to her and ran it along her back. “Is that what I think it is?” she whispered.

“It is. Now, I’m thinking I start soft and get harder. And I’m thinking… ten. How does that sound?”

“Will you fuck me right after?” she breathed, the excitement in her tone exciting me at the same time.

“Of course,” I said, reaching forward to caress her cheek before I got in position. Her arse and pussy were completely exposed, her pussy glistening with the excitement she was already feeling. I couldn’t help myself, bending down for a quick taste of her before I ran the riding crop down from her neck to her arse, before I gave her a soft stroke across her cheeks. 

“Count them,” I demanded.

“One!” she said.

“Louder!” I said as I used it slightly harder.

“Two!” she cried.

“Louder again!” The next one did leave a slight red mark.

“Three!” she near screamed.

“Better,” I said, striking her again. I could see the shudder go up her body. No doubt it hurt, but she had explained it all. She absolutely loved it at the same time.

With each strike, a little harder than before, she counted it off. By eight, her arse was red, amazed at the fact she didn’t cry out at all. In fact, after six, she was demanding I strike her harder still. I held back slightly, figuring if I hit her with all the power I had in my right arm, I’d make her bleed. And I didn’t want that… though, to be honest, I’m not sure about her. After ten, I put the crop in her mouth before I slid inside her. She lasted a couple of minutes before she had one hell of a powerful orgasm, the sort which left you little more than an exhausted heap.

Wasting little time, I grabbed the bottle of oil we both now kept and poured some on her body. I was no expert, but Haelga had given me pointers on an effective massage, and as she was now completely relaxed, I ran my hands up and down her body, enjoying the feeling of her soft skin. I eventually started to oil up her arse, teasing her little hole. She reacted, trying to lift herself so I’d do something.

“You want it there?” I wondered.

“You know I do, Ragnar. I’ve been thinking about it all day.”

I used my tongue first, and Haelga found the manacles slightly frustrating. Once I slipped my first finger into her, she moaned loudly, quickly asking me to add another one. A third one was added soon after that too, though I was only getting her ready. She was quickly begging for something else, so after lubing myself up, I placed the head of my cock at her rear entrance.

Part of me knew I could ram it in and she’d make no complaint. In fact, it would hurt, but she’d enjoy it. So while I wasn’t as gentle as normal, I wasn’t a complete bastard, but once I had my length inside her, I bent forward, placing a hand on each shoulder. “Ready?” I asked quietly.

“Gods yes, Ragnar. I have one request. Ruin me.”

My first few thrusts were slow but hard, hearing her grunt and noticing her wince, even with the blindfold. But she cried ‘Yes’ quietly after each one, with no suggestion whatsoever for me to stop. So I went a little faster, still just as hard, and that seemed to make her even happier. “Dibella loves me, Ragnar. She’s given me you.”

“Remember to let me know if it gets too much.”

“You’ll cum before I say stop, Ragnar.”

That sounded like a challenge, so I changed my position ever so slightly. Haelga felt it and I could see the smile on her face. “Am I getting properly fucked now?”

My reply was what I did next. But Haelga still loved every second, screaming out her delight as I rammed my cock deep into her arse over and over again. And considering my size, I could only be impressed at how she managed it. She was right though, she managed to take it for longer than I could fuck her, as despite the pounding she took, I felt my climax arrive quicker than she even began to suggest she wanted me to stop. Letting her know I was nearing the end, she simply smiled and told me to finish where it was expected.

I collapsed on top of her once I was empty. She could still move her head, and managed to kiss my cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered.

I took a couple of minutes to recover before I undid the manacles to her wrists and ankles, grabbing a towel so we could clean up the mess. Taking off her blindfold, the look in her eyes when she looked into mine was one of absolute love and devotion. “What would you like to do next?”

“Now is the time for us to go to bed and make love, Ragnar. We’ll keep it short this first time. We’ll build it up as time goes by.”

The next hour was a complete contrast to what just occurred. I was incredibly soft and gentle with her, and I made sure that, this time, I brought her to climax time and again. After we made the softest, most tender love possible, she fell asleep in my arms, moulding herself into my body. Her last words before she fell asleep were that she couldn’t remember being happier.

To be honest, neither could I.

* * *

Heading into the Flagon, the first person to see me was Vex. She wished me good morning, and appeared to be in a good mood. Wondering why, she called me an idiot, suggesting I was the reason, though didn’t clarify what she meant by that. She laughed at the expression on my face, letting me know everyone else was in the cistern. 

Brynjolf and Karliah were obviously waiting for me to arrive, because as soon as they saw me, the ceremony began. There was no spectacular handing over a sceptre or anything. The three of us simply stood in the middle, surrounded by the Guild, as Karliah announced that I would be the new Guild Master of Skyrim, and that if anyone had a problem with that, they should speak now and lay down a challenge to my rule.

No-one did. In fact, most were quite vocal about the fact it was a bloody good idea. I thought it slightly strange that I was probably the youngest there, certainly a lot younger than Karliah or Brynjolf, yet both seemed quite happy that it would be me that would take the reins. Karliah insisted she would just do the occasional bit of thievery, but that she would spend most of her time at Nightingale Hall. As for Brynjolf, I made him my second, and he would run things when I wasn’t there. I didn’t plan on being away too often, only if I was to be gone for longer than usual.

Since it was all agreed, I asked them all to be quiet, sharing a glance and nod with Karliah and Brynjolf. Vex and Delvin were also aware of what I was about to say. They were not as happy, but understood where I was coming from.

“Right, I’m sure all of you are used to the way Mercer used to do things. But if we’re going to use that arsehole as a yardstick, I won’t be much of a leader. No, for those of you who don’t know, I once worked with the Thieves Guild of Cyrodiil, and they still worked by the teachings of the Grey Fox. Have you all at least heard of him?”

Most nodded. One or two hadn’t but that wasn’t important, and the others could fill them in with the details. “Okay, so while we’re all Thieves here, we all want to make coin, get rich, and hopefully retire to wherever you dream. But there will be some new rules for how we operate. And I’ll put it like this. If you don’t like them, the door is there and you may leave.”

I looked across the group, gauging their reaction so far. They all stayed silent.

“Rule one. All those people you see living on the streets. The homeless. The beggars. The desperate. They should be our allies. They should be the people we look to for help. And in return for that help, we look after them. I know for a fact that hasn’t happened, even with those who live in Riften. Trust me on this, having these people as allies will only be of benefit to the Guild. So, whenever you’re next in Windhelm or Solitude, get in contact with these people, let them know the Guild is looking out for them.

Rule two. We no longer steal from those less fortunate than ourselves. We shouldn’t be robbing people of their last septim. Yes, we’re thieves, but there is still a sense of honour to what we do. And, let’s face facts, we don’t just steal. There have been jobs all of us have done that had little to do with thievery. So I have a motto that we will adhere to. Rob from the rich, give to the poor. No, we’re not going to start handing out our coin to every single poor person across Skyrim. But it will be a minor reallocation of some of the wealth in this country.

Rule three. Quite simple, really, and there a few sub-rules. Don’t get caught. Don’t steal from the Guild. Definitely don’t steal from each other. Don’t fall out with each other. And definitely don’t try and undermine my rule. If you have a problem, speak to either Devlin, Vex or Brynjolf. If it’s vitally important, come talk to me. I won’t micromanage, I don’t want to know all your plans. But just don’t fuck it up and put the entire Guild in hot water.

You agree to all that?”

Again, a sea of nodding heads. I didn’t think they’d be entirely happy, but they now knew where I stood regarding what I expected. None of us were particularly good people. We were thieves, after all. But as I’d told Brynjolf the very time we met, I did believe in honour among thieves.

“Okay, that’s all I have to say. Thank you for readily accepting my rule. And I can only hope that it’s much better than the previous bastard.”

“Here, here!” they all called, and after a round of handshakes, they split up, only Vex, Delvin, Karliah and Brynjolf staying with me.

“Any major plans?” Brynjolf asked. 

“Yes, a couple. Delvin, I want you to see if you can get in touch with anyone from the Guild in Cyrodiil.”

“I’ll do what I can, boss, but we haven’t heard from anyone outside of Skyrim for decades.”

“I figured, but if we can forge a link between our two Guilds, then the flow of coin and goods will only help us. There are some businesses out there ripe for the taking, and plenty of people in Cyrodiil with coin they probably won’t miss. Karliah, will you be interested in Nightingale recruits?”

“Vex is interested, Delvin…”

“No. I’m far too old for all that traipsing about,” he admitted.

“Are you thinking something?” Karliah wondered.

“Not really, but since everyone is now more than aware of us, I’m just wondering if anyone was showing an interest.”

“I’ll spend some time chatting with the group over the next few weeks.”

“Bryn, you’re going to be the face of the Guild in two ways. One, you’ll be the link between myself and everyone else, though as I said, I won’t be missing too often. But, two, and I think most importantly, I want you visiting our contacts, almost to reassure them from time to time that the Guild is here to stay.”

“Sure thing, boss.”

“Last issue, and this is for all four of you. Keep your ears open for anything, and I mean anything. I’m not sure about the rest of you, but I don’t want to spend every day sitting in this bloody cistern, or on the balcony of my house. I like being out there, causing a little havoc and making plenty of coin. I want to keep my skills sharp at the same time. If the job makes coin for us and the Guild, and who knows, maybe a new ally, perhaps some influence, or we deal with a potential problem, even better. There are no stupid ideas, just those which won’t be of real benefit.”

It was rather easy to slip into a routine, and I quickly found being Guild Master… well, quite frankly, rather dull. Gone were the trips across the breadth of Skyrim, and I didn’t find any jobs that caught my fancy. At least none that actually involved thieving anyway. It did mean I could spend more time in Riften, though. Haelga was a regular visitor, and we spent more time in the Dibellan room, where things slowly but surely got a little more… extreme, I guess would be the right word. I was left amazed at what she wanted me to do at times. 

Though Karliah dropped by from time to time, I would visit her at Nightingale Hall more often. She spent a long time making it a real home, turning one of the rooms into a large bedroom for herself. She lived there by herself, so whenever we fucked, she could make as much noise as she wanted. And she certainly did, hearing her screams echo down the empty halls. Our sex life was in complete contrast to that I experienced with Haelga. Don’t get me wrong, Karliah loved to fuck, but it was far gentler and tender, not to say Haelga didn’t enjoy that too.

Then there was Ingun, who I spent less time with than the other two, but that just meant each time we were together was even better. She would occasionally tease me, suggesting her mother was still asking after me. I still found the whole idea rather weird, so did avoid their home. Ingun enjoyed coming to my place anyway, particularly sitting on the balcony, where we’d enjoy a bottle of wine and watch the sun go down. She was incredibly sweet, and we liked each other a lot. But in the back of my mind was the concern that, if it did wrong and I broke her heart, Maven would have my balls.

It must have been at least a month before I finally had a job worthy of my time. But, I’ll admit, it wasn’t what I expected. Wandering into the Flagon one morning, Vex and Karliah were waiting for me, looking rather impatient. Vex stated she had something that would interest me, and I know I smirked, thinking dirty thoughts. She just called me an idiot before we wandered into the cistern, where we sat at my desk. Handing me a note, I quickly read the details.

“Meridia’s beacon?” I asked, looking between the pair of them.

“Do you know anything about Meridia?” Karliah asked. Shaking my head, she continued. “There’s a reason why I’ve come to you with this. The beacon itself isn’t the prize. It’s what might lie in wait inside her temple.”

“I’m assuming treasure…”

“You are correct to a point. Right, first, a little about Meridia. She’s a Daedric Prince, though she’s considered lesser evil than some of the others. What most know about her is her intense hatred for the undead, and her ‘love’ for all living things.”

“A good Deadra? I find that hard to believe,” I stated, holding back the scoff.

“She’s not good. She’s still all the things you would expect from someone from the realm of Oblivion, but I believe the prize you may receive if we get the beacon would be worth it.”

“Okay, what’s the prize?”

Karliah took a notebook from her pocket and laid it on the desk. Opening to a particular page, there was a drawing of a sword. A mighty fine sword. “It’s called Dawnbreaker. And it should be carried by a warrior who may, just occasionally, deal with the undead.”

“I assume you mean me. But why?”

“I called you a warrior posing as a thief. If you were to wield this blade, as either Guild Master and whatever else you happen to do, then I predict you will be victorious each time.”

I looked between the pair of them. “Fuck it, sounds good. Where’s the beacon?”

“It was taken by a bunch of idiot bandits,” Vex replied, “They’re in a camp north of Whiterun, attached to a mine.”

We agreed to leave immediately, each of us heading home to gather supplies before meeting outside the city gates, at the stables. Each of us had a horse, as I’d suggested to everyone that they should purchase one, simply for ease of getting around. The journey to Whiterun took place without incident, barely stopping along the way, except to allow the horses a breather and a drink of water, making it to Whiterun stables just as the sky grew dark.

Choosing to stay in the city instead of camping, we headed up to the Bannered Mare, where we managed to snag a room each. Vex was surprised, figuring I’d want to bunk with Karliah, but I suggested all we needed was a good night’s sleep and an early rise. I don’t think she completely bought it, but I earned looks from both of them when Ysolda walked in, saw me, and immediately ran over to where we were sat by the fire and sat on my lap, laying a big, wet kiss on my cheek.

“Who’s your friend, Ragnar?” Karliah asked, in such a sweet tone, even Vex laughed.

“This is Ysolda. Ysolda, this is Karliah and Vex.”

“Friends of yours, Ragnar?” Ysolda wondered.

“Friends and colleagues. We work together.”

“What brought you back to Whiterun?”

“We’re heading up Solitude way. Broke up the journey from Riften, and figured we’d stop in here for the night.”

She moved her mouth to my ear as she whispered, “And were you hoping to see me?”

I couldn’t help smirk. “Maybe…”

Karliah and Vex laughed again as I signalled to Saadia for a round of drinks. Ysolda eventually sat down next to me, wrapping an arm around my waist. I glanced at Karliah, who simply shrugged, while Vex looked rather amused by it all, probably thinking a fight was about to start. Between who, though, I’m not sure.

Thankfully, my two Guild companions were friendly with Ysolda, though once the music started, Ysolda dragged me up to dance with her, ensuring my hands were in particular parts of her body. I had a feeling she was putting on a bit of show, particularly once she kissed me, and her tongue wasted no time requesting entrance into my mouth. Now, while I good kiss was enough to generally make me want more, I didn’t particularly want to be distracted, nor did I want an awkward ride the next day. So I happily made out with Ysolda, but when she whispered in my ear, inviting me to hers, I had to decline, though quickly assured her that I definitely would next time.

“Is that a promise?” she asked, her eyes pleading with me to say yes.

“Of course. Next time I’m in Whiterun, and preferably alone,” I said quietly back.

The four of us stayed up until the innkeeper said that was it for the evening, and I escorted Ysolda home, where she asked again if I wanted to join her. There was no doubt in my mind that, if I joined her inside, I’d be naked with my cock buried inside her within a couple of minutes. But… I declined again, so made sure the kiss we shared was a great one, leaving her wanting more.

“When will I see you again?” she wondered, standing on the threshold.

“I’m not sure. But I now have a good reason to visit Whiterun more often.” After another soft kiss, I wished her goodnight, and headed back to the Bannered Mare.

To my surprise, Karliah was waiting for me in my room, though not for the reason people probably think. She was simply curious as to who Ysolda was, and I was honest about it. We’d flirted a few times when I’d been in Whiterun previously, and as for what she did, I knew she was a merchant, and even hoped to buy the Bannered Mare one day, once she had the coin.

“And I assume you had an invite back to hers?” Unable to stop the chuckle, I simply nodded my head. “Why did you say no? Because of me?”

“To be honest, that was part of the reason. But we do have an early start too, and didn’t want to spend a couple of hours fucking before going to sleep. However, I will admit that if I were to visit Whiterun again, I’ll do it alone.”

“Well, at least you’re honest,” she said, kissing my cheek and heading to the door, where she surprised me by closing it… with her still in my room. Turning back towards me, I’m sure my face would have been priceless. “Ragnar, I know for a fact you wanted to fuck but stupidly said no. And no doubt you’re probably nursing something hard in your trousers.” She wasn’t lying about that. “So I’m thinking you could do with some help regarding that, then we’ll sleep.”

“You’re serious?” I had to ask, “You’ve just spent most of the night watching Ysolda throw herself at me.”

“Yet here you are, with me. So… Are you really saying no to me too?”

“Definitely not.”

I had a gorgeous and very naked Dunmer underneath me a few minutes later, cock buried inside her tight, warm pussy. There was little foreplay, as Karliah admitted that watching me dance with Ysolda had excited her, wanting it to be her. I promised we’d do that as soon as possible. With her legs wrapped around me, her mouth was desperate for mine as I slowly thrust into her. We both tried to make as little noise as possible, as we knew Vex was in the room next to us, though the headboard may have occasionally banged the wall, leaving both of us in fits of quiet giggles.

Karliah knew what I loved though, and she eventually ended up on top of me, riding my cock slowly, watching her grind and slowly bounce as I hit all the right spots inside her. My hands caressed her body, running my fingers over her stomach or I’d gently grab one of her breasts. I eventually shuffled so I could sit up and use my mouth of those or kiss her at the same time. She couldn’t ride me forever, and once she enjoyed a rather nice climax, we flipped over again, pushing her legs back, so I could pump her hard for a few minutes until I enjoyed my own.

“So, glad you said no?” she asked as we cuddled after a quick clean up.

“Definitely. We still have to see how flexible you are, though.”

“Ankles behind my head, Ragnar. Just imagine how I’d look.”

“Don’t give me thoughts like that! I’m trying to sleep here.”

At breakfast the next morning, Vex gave us looks and eventually asked flat out if we fucked. Neither of us denied it, as what was the point. Everyone in the Guild was now more than aware that we were intimate, though I had a sneaking suspicion Vex was a little jealous. However, while we had flirted constantly, and Vex had stated more than once she was interested, she hadn’t given any suggestion was actually serious. And with everything on my plate, I liked the flirting but, frankly, would leave it to her.

The sun was still rising as we departed Whiterun in the direction of the bandit camp. Vex knew exactly where it was, but on the flat, featureless plain, lookouts were always bound to see our approach. Thankfully Karliah was a crack shot with a bow, so after finding a solitary tree to keep our horses safe, we carefully as possible approached the camp. Karliah lined up and sent an arrow into the chest of one lookout, though that sent at least three more charging in our direction. I thought they were idiots, giving up the safety of their walls to take us on head first. Three on three, we were always bound to win, Karliah quickly unsheathing her blade, Vex weaving two short blades, I was armed with my usual sword and shield. We made short work of the three bandits before moving on.

With no sign of the beacon in camp, we headed for the mineshaft. We didn’t hear anyone working, and was surprised to see it was rather empty. It wasn’t a large mineshaft, eventually rounding a corner to find a lone bandit sat at a table. “Who the fuck are you?” he asked.

“That’s not important. What is important is that we’re here for the beacon. I will ask you only the once. Where is it?”

“Fuck off.”

“Wrong answer.” Karliah put an arrow through his throat.

We found the beacon in a chest behind him. If the idiot had said that, I might have let him live. Oh well… But that wasn’t the strange part. I know all three of us shared concerned glances when we heard the voice, almost as if it flowed from the beacon I was now holding.

“A new hand touches the Beacon. Listen! Hear me and obey! A foul darkness has seeped into my temple. A darkness that you will destroy.”

“I take it that was Meridia?” I asked Karliah. Her look was my reply.

The three of us quickly headed back for our horses, amazed at how quickly we’d found it, and quickly found ourselves on the road heading to Rorikstead. The land west of Whiterun was mostly flat, able to see for what felt likes miles around. Mist rose from the ground at this early hour, giving it an eerie though beautiful feel. We rode by herds of deer and more than a few rabbits and foxes. It was amazing how nature took over barely a few minutes away from a large city such as Whiterun.

Making Rorikstead for mid-morning, we continued on, pushing our horses hard, as Karliah knew where we were headed, not requiring us to actually stop in Solitude itself. Crossing the Karth River over Dragon Bridge, passing through the small village on the northern side, it was afternoon by the time we turned off the main road towards the temple.

I could see a statue at the top of the temple, Karliah mentioning it was Meridia. But that was only the first thing that took my attention. Dismounting our horses, I could hear… chanting… Chanting vaguely similar to that time I was in Snow Veil Sanctum. “You hear that?”

“Hear what?” Vex asked.

“Chanting. You can’t hear it?” They both looked at me as if I was insane. Following the sound, we ended up at another word wall, and within the writing I couldn’t understand, a small section of it was glowing. As I walked towards it, my vision darkened so that only the word was glowing, and after a few seconds, it was as if my mind suddenly clear.

“Su…”

“What was that?” Karliah asked.

Pointing at the no longer glowing word, I said, “Right there. It says ‘Su’. It’s not our language though.”

“What language is it?”

“I have no idea. I can’t read the rest of it, but I can understand the word that was highlighted. Strange…”

Vex and Karliah shared a glance, shrugged, and we headed back to the temple. Placing the beacon on the pedestal, a bright light immediately shot into the sky, and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one blinded by a bright light that seemed to flow from the statue itself. It was then that a vision appeared in front of us. She looked female. In fact, she was rather beautiful. Pale skin. Blonde hair. And still that otherworldly voice that promised so much.

“It is time for my splendor to return to Skyrim. But the token of my truth lies buried in the ruins of my once great temple, now tainted by a profane darkness skittering within. The Necromancer Malkoran defiles my shrine with vile corruptions, trapping lost souls left in the wake of this war to do his bidding. Worse still, he uses the power stored within my own token to fuel his foul deeds. I have brought you here, mortal, to be my champion. You will enter my temple, retrieve my artefact, and destroy the defiler. Guide my light through the temple to open the inner sanctum and it is there that you will receive your boon.”

The light disappeared as we headed downstairs, back towards the entrance. The doors opened for us, I assume done so by Meridia, and I wasn’t the only one to almost gag at the stench that filtered up our nostrils. A thick, black fog hovered not far from the floor, and the first thing we noticed, apart from the fact the temple had fallen into ruin, were the bodies of desecrated soldiers.

“By the Eight, what sort of vile magic is happening in here?” Karliah muttered.

Descending further into the temple, we had to move beacons at occasional points, helping Meridia’s light flow. Doing that only attracted the attention of shadowy creatures Karliah called Shades. No idea what in oblivion they were, but they were vicious bastards, so the three of us worked in tandem to take each and every one down.

I’m not sure how many bodies we passed, but I did stop to take a quick look at one, and wished I hadn’t. Horrifying only begins to describe what had been done to the body. With each beacon we raised, it attracted more and more attention of the Shades, who started to attack in packs. Vex and I continued to work together, Karliah taking out her bow to help with those not within our range yet. That tactic worked in the larger chambers, not so much when fighting our way down narrow corridors.

The temple was enormous, assuming most of it was dug into the mountainside, left wondering why Meridia needed such a large building to begin with. It certainly felt we were going around in circles at times, backtracking on ourselves more than once. But we continued to guide her light through the temple, passing by even more bodies, killing endless number of Shades. Arriving at a large pair of doors, Karliah suggested Malkoran would lie in wait for us.

I suggested Karliah use her bow on him, and if there were any Shades, Vex and I would deal with those. A good idea, and for the most part, it worked. Karliah had three arrows buried in Malkoran as Vex and I handled the Shades. Malkoran managed to get off a spell, causing Karliah to leap out of the way, and as the necromancer dropped to the ground, another Shade formed, and this one had even more powerful magic.

Ordering us to pull back, we funnelled the Shades into a narrow corridor, and from there Vex, Karliah and I could work as one. The Shades fell to our blades, and once we had Malkoran’s Shade alone, we could hit it from all sides, and while the magic it wielded was dangerous, all of us taking a hit, the Shade eventually disappeared in a black mist.

“It is done. The defiler is defeated. Take Dawnbreaker from its pedestal.”

I hadn’t even seen the sword, walking towards it, noticing the same light emanating from it, similar to the light we’d helped flow through the temple. Taking the sword from its pedestal, I held it so I could look at the blade. I had never seen such intricate artwork on a blade. The design of the hilt was beautiful, and the light appeared to come from a jewel within the blade itself.

The three of us were then enveloped in a bright light, and we found ourselves standing in front of the statue again, it too shining brightly in the now night sky. “Malkoran is vanquished. Skyrim's dead shall remain at rest. This is as it should be. This is because of you. A new day is dawning. And you shall be its herald. Take the mighty Dawnbreaker and with it purge corruption from the dark corners of the world. Wield it in my name, that my influence may grow.”

“It shall be done, my lady.” What else was I going to say? No? What she was requesting was actually something good.

“May the light of certitude guide your efforts.”

Her light disappeared, and that left the three of us alone. I couldn’t help look upon the weapon again, and I knew this would be a weapon I would continue to wield for many years ahead.

Mounting our horses, we began the long ride back to Riften.


	13. Daedric Worship

Having Dawnbreaker in my possession urged something from within. I was already bound to Nocturnal, knowing my soul would be one with the Ebonmere upon my death. Did that disappoint me? Did I dream of Sovngrade above all? To be honest, not really. Let’s face facts. I’d joined the Fighter’s Guild because I almost died, and saw an escape. But I had enjoyed being a thief, and I was definitely enjoying it now. I’d been on adventures of which I’d never imagined, met and bedded some gorgeous women, and I was now rather rich. 

But I became ever more aware of shrines across Skyrim to the Daedra. And if that was the case, would we find ourselves in possession of more artefacts such as Dawnbreaker? Why should the Guild, or even myself, own them? Wield them? Have them in our possession as treasures? 

I sat down with Karliah one evening at my dining table, having invited her around for dinner, primarily to speak with her about these artefacts. She was surprised that I was so interested, and that I was so willing to go after Daedric artefacts, considering many were considered either cursed, or having to sell your soul to the Deadric prince themselves.

“Well, haven’t we already done that with Nocturnal?” I retorted gently, “So I guess we’ll just leave it to them to sort it out.”

“Ragnar, are you sure you want to head down this road? It’s a dark path you are considering, fraught with danger, your very soul at stake. These are powerful beings you are willing to deal with.”

“The prizes at the end might just be worth the risk. Dawnbreaker is a thing of unreal beauty, Karliah. And there must be more examples out there just like it. I will admit that I want to see what we could possibly gain, not just for ourselves, but the Guild.”

Karliah asked me for a map, so after clearing our plates, I poured us a cup of wine each as we sat close together, deciding what targets we could hit. She mentioned a Shrine of Azura, which I vaguely remembered seeing near Winterhold, though the weather had been awful while I was in the area each time. Karliah added further that Azura is considered a ‘good’ god by her people, and had been a worshipper herself before turning to Nocturnal.

She mentioned a Shrine to Peryite, a Daedra I’d never heard of, but according to her memory, there was a shrine near the village of Karthwasten. There was a Shrine to Mehrunes Dagon near the mining village of Stonehills, but even Karliah warned me about even thinking of doing anything for him. “You will be fine with most other Daedric Princes, Ragnar. Sure, they’ll exact some sort of price for a boon, but Mehrunes Dagon is not someone to be trifled with.”

“Why are you so worried about him?”

She laughed, at me more than anything. I didn’t mind, as I loved her laugh. “Do you not know anything about the Oblivion Crisis, Ragnar? The dragon statue in what was once the Temple of the One? You grew up in the Imperial City!”

Shrugging, I replied, “I know of the statue but never gave it much thought. As for the Oblivion Crisis, I know the Septim dynasty ended then but not much else.”

She said nothing for a moment, instead leaning over to kiss my cheek. “Never mind, it’s not that important. But what _is_ important is that we be very careful obtaining any of these artefacts. Yes, the Guild will benefit from having them in our possession, but as I said, just remember the price it may cost you and us.”

“Anyone would think you cared, Karliah.”

She gave me a gentle shove. “I care about the Guild, Ragnar. But I care about your welfare even more. You’re the best thing to happen to the Guild in years. None of us can afford to lose you so quickly.”

I kissed her. I kissed her hard, Karliah immediately opening her mouth, accepting my tongue. Rolling up the map with one hand, I quickly stood her up and sat her down the table, pulling at the buttons of her dress, feeling her shuffle so she could lift it up from under her arse and eventually take it off. Now dressed in only panties, as the dress she was wearing meant she didn’t need a bra, I ran my hands over her soft skin as we continued to make out, Karliah pulling me into her body as she shuffled to the end of the table. She would have felt something hard press into her.

Moving my lips from her mouth, I kissed down her neck, feeling her gasp as I gave her a couple of gentle bites, nothing to leave a mark, but the sound she made was certainly appreciative, moving down past her collarbone before she leaned back to I could focus some attention on her breasts. Her nipples already hard, I had some fun with those, giving those a gentle bite too, hearing her suck a breath through her teeth as she ran her hands through my hair, holding my head in place for a moment.

Carrying on down her body, I kissed down her stomach until I reached the top of her panties, taking a moment to remove those with my teeth before she laid back on her forearms, her legs spread, her sex glistening in the candlelight, her chest rising and falling in her excitement.

I devoured her with my mouth, hearing her cry out as my tongue teased her, feeling her press down into my mouth, wanting even more. Wrapping my arms around a thigh each, I kept her in place as I ate her out like a man on death row, enjoying his last meal. Gods, she tasted marvellous. I loved going down on any woman I was intimate with, but there was something about that warm Dunmer pussy that I couldn’t get enough of.

I’m not sure what it was, perhaps it was the fact I was so in control, but apart from some deep breathing, a few moans, and mentions of my name, Karliah was already on the verge of having quite the climax. Stopping for a moment, I stood back, put my hands on the backs of her legs and pushed those wide and back, opening her up completely, before lowering my mouth again, looking up to see Karliah watching me.

“Soon as I cum, you’re fucking me,” she breathed.

Switching my attention to her clit, I slid a couple of fingers inside her, and she was now putty in my paws. Her back arched and she cried out, knowing she was now getting close, her hand now gripping my hair tightly. “Don’t fucking stop!” she cried.

Like that was going to happen. I wanted her to cum, and I wanted her to cum hard. Her body was now writhing, bucking slightly as I attacked her clit and fucked her hard with my fingers, ensuring I was hitting the right spot. It was simply too much, and I once I felt her start to squeeze my fingers, I knew she was on the verge.

“Ragnar!” she cried out as she climaxed. I didn’t stop what I was doing, not until I felt her hand release my hair and for her to collapse back on the table, asking me to stop for a moment.

Lifting myself up, I looked down at Karliah, lying across my dining table, her chest rising up and down, her legs spread, sex glistening from what we’d just done. Unbuckling my belt and unbuttoning my trousers, I pulled her forward and slid my cock inside her. I wasn’t going to last long at all. She cried out as I did, lifting herself up on her forearms again, begging for me to fuck her.

I didn’t last too long, not that it mattered. She managed to sit herself up, holding onto my shoulders, so she could kiss me, sliding her arse forward so I could properly start to fuck her. Once we started to resume making out, feeling her legs wrap around me, there was no chance I was going to last long at all. So I enjoyed it while I could.

“Karliah,” I breathed.

She just kissed me again as I buried myself inside her a few more times until I finally climaxed. I groaned loudly as I did, feeling my legs go weak as she fell backwards, collapsing on top of her, just stopping myself in time by lowering a forearm. I felt her soft kisses on my forehead and cheeks as I managed to regain some thought processes.

“What brought that on?” she asked a few minutes later, “Something I said?”

“Yeah, I guess so. Plus, the idea of fucking you was on my mind at the time.”

That made her laugh as I stood up, helping her sit up. Still hard inside her, though softening, we shared a soft kiss as she threw her arms around my neck. “I was only being honest,” she said quietly, “Everything you’ve done for me, Ragnar. Everything… It’s no wonder I’m here like this with you.”

Wrapping my arms around her, I held her tight, stroking her hair, her head resting on my chest. “I was only doing the right thing. I haven’t always done that in my life.”

“Plus you wanted to get in my panties, Ragnar.”

“That may have crossed my mind from time to time.” She scoffed at that. “Are you complaining?”

“Not at all. Just stating a fact.”

I carried her upstairs where, after I undressed, we continued our intimacy the rest of the night. Karliah loved nothing more than straddling and riding me for as long as she could last, and there’s perhaps nothing sexier than a fit Dunmer thief impaled on your cock, bouncing and riding away to one climax after another. If it wasn’t that, she liked me being in control when on her hands and knees. Considering her arse was practically perfect to look at, I definitely enjoyed that position too.

Once our appetites were sated, at least a couple of hours later, she slept in my arms, murmuring how much she enjoyed our relationship. I just let her know that I cared for her as well, remembering her last words prior to starting our fuck session. I saw her smile in the candlelight before I blew it out so we could both sleep.

Wandering into the Flagon together the next morning, Delvin, Vex and Brynjolf looked at us and laughed. No doubt Karliah looked rather content with life, and I probably looked smug as fuck. Can you blame me? They’ve all seen Karliah now, and would certainly understand my attraction. Sitting down at the same table, we declined the offer of a drink.

“So what’s on your mind, boss?” Brynjolf asked. That’s what they all called me now. Boss. I didn’t mind, as I was the Guild Master and it was a simple sign of respect.

“I was discussing with Karliah last night an idea that I feel I should run by you guys too, get your opinion.” They all nodded, so I continued, “Obviously you know I now have Dawnbreaker, an artefact given by Meridia. I’m thinking the Guild should try and locate more artefacts.”

“Daedric artefacts?” Delvin asked for clarification.

“Correct. Let’s face facts. The Guild is already allied to a Daedric Prince. Those of us who are Nightingales, and that’s all five of us here, have all sold our souls already. I’m not sure if the Daedra communicate, but I think Nocturnal will probably fight to keep us, so I’m thinking we could pursue other artefacts. Then we can decide whether we keep them, or sell them for a lot of coin to interested parties. What do you think?”

I looked around the table. Karliah was already on board, though wanted us to be careful. Brynjolf looked worried, but the idea that we’d make coin would swing him. Delvin was prepared to back me regarding anything considering I was the one responsible for ending the ‘curse’. Vex would agree as long as it didn’t put us in danger. Or that’s what I figured the four of them would think.

“I’m all for it, boss, but it’s dealing with Daedra,” Brynjolf stated.

“Have you considered the consequences if it goes wrong?” Delvin wondered.

“I have. If the price is too high, like my life, then it’s obviously not worth it. But the risk trying to obtain whatever it is just might just be.”

“What are you thinking of first?” Vex asked.

Karliah had brought the map, so after clearing away the tankards, I pointed. “The Shrine of Azura lies just west of Winterhold. Apparently on a clear day you can see it from miles around. I’m wondering what visiting her will gain us…”

“When are you going?” Brynjolf asked. I must have had a look on my face, as he laughed. “Come now, boss, I know you’re itching to get back on that horse of yours to ride somewhere, another adventure waiting to unfold.”

“You make it sound so romantic, Bryn,” I retorted a little sarcastically.

“So I assume you’re taking Karliah?” Vex wondered. I must have had another look on my face, as she laughed too. “She’s Dunmer, so it would make sense you would take a Dunmer to the god they revere above all.”

“How do you know that?” Karliah asked.

“I know things, Karliah. You should know that by now.” She looked back at me, asking, “So…?”

“I’ll take Karliah, and we’ll leave tomorrow.”

Figuring we’d be gone a few days, I spent the night at the Bunkhouse with Haelga. If she was at my place, we’d more often than not start in the Dibellan room before moving to the bedroom. I’d learned she loved being tied up and completely at my mercy, to do with her whatever I wanted. Half the time I’d do something silly, like tickle her relentlessly. Sometimes she liked me to use the crop or a cane on her arse. She loved being spanked, cooing about the strength in my arms if I only used my hand. If she wasn’t tied up, I’d have her over my knees, and after a good spanking, she’d be soaking and it would barely take a few minutes to finger her to orgasm.

Other times she’d beg for me to just ruin her, fucking her mouth, pussy and arse, cumming in all three, just using her as a living, breathing sex toy. It was amazing that, after doing that, we’d lie in bed together, where I’d simply hold her in my arms, assuring her that I loved her, and she would happily fall asleep.

If we were at her Bunkhouse, though, things were a little more ‘normal’, for want of a better word. Sure, the fucking could still be hard, fast and rough, headboard smacking against the wall and Haelga crying out at the top of her lungs, but more of than not, it was more tender and sensual, without the need for any real exuberance. That was when Haelga would happily ride and grind me most of the night, either leaning back so I could take in her body, she would lean forward, so we could kiss continuously, or I’d be sat back so we could look into each other’s eyes with ease and share sweet and tender words of love for the other.

The night before leaving for the shrine, we made love but spent most of the night simply cuddling and talking. We were always rather warm after a good sex session, so the blankets were not covering us, and I could continue to take in her body in the moonlight. She knew I looked and would occasionally move her body so I could take in some more. She was a Nord goddess, she really was. I had noticed she now left a little mound of blonde fur above her sex, having mentioned it helped keep her scent. Just that alone helped make me rock hard at times.

“Are you going with Karliah?” she wondered.

“I am. Why?”

“I just figured you were, considering you work together often. My question is, when are you going to have us both at the same time?” 

I could help chuckle. “I know you’d be interested, but I’m not sure about Karliah. She’s not like you at all.”

“She doesn’t like being tied up and spanked?”

“We just have what I would call ‘normal sex’.”

“Does she take it in the arse?”

“Not yet. She’s interested, but she’s hesitant due to my size. We’ll cross that bridge if she decides that she’d like to try it.”

“Does she at least swallow?”

“Most women I’ve been with swallow, Haelga. I’ve been a very lucky man. Some just love it more than others.”

“You’re giving me a final load in the morning before you leave, aren’t you?”

I kissed her forehead. “Like I would deny you something like that, gorgeous.”

She cuddled into me, feeling her breasts press into me. “You know I love it. Maybe I’ll swallow. Maybe I’ll let you finish on my face. Maybe…”

We eventually fell asleep, and she kept her promise. As soon as we were both awake, me with my usual morning erection, she manoeuvred herself so she could blow me, though she knew what I’d want, burying my face in her pussy at the same time. Gods, she was already wet and willing, but while I certainly spent a lot of time licking every inch of her sex, I concentrated on what she was doing to me. As I’ve mentioned, Haelga was probably the best cocksucker I’d ever been with, and it didn’t take her long to receive what she wanted, taking the umpteenth load in her mouth. Once I’d blasted, I concentrated on bringing her to orgasm, unsurprised hers didn’t following too much longer after mine.

After dressing, we headed downstairs for breakfast, where most of those who lived in the Bunkhouse were used to my presence. I’m sure they heard us more often than not. Svana was still as flirty as always, and I think she was still interested in me, though my advice still stood. Sure, I’d take her virginity if she was adamant about it, but I’d rather not be her first, even though I still remembered Ariel rather fondly, and she’d been a working girl and my first lover, after all.

Karliah was waiting for me at the stables, asking if I’d had a good time the night before. I was always polite enough to simply say that I had, as she was genuinely only joking, Haelga and Karliah more than aware of the other. I still didn’t see Ingun as much as the other two, though I knew we’d both like that to change, but juggling two was hard enough. Three would make it even more difficult.

We were leaving early, planning on making it to Windhelm by nightfall, finishing the journey the next day. Normally we’d camp if heading west, but with snow continuously lying on the ground the further north one travelled, staying in Windhelm was the only sensible option, unless you wanted to freeze to death.

Still, the slow pace of our horses allowed us plenty of time to chat. The longer time went on, the more Karliah was willing to talk about what happened during her exile. I was amazed to hear she’d been all over Tamriel, though she had spent a lot of time back in her homeland of Morrowind, simply as it was easier for her to be another face in the crowd. Skyrim had always been her real home, though, and she’d even stayed in Windhelm itself. She admitted to exaggerating about never staying anywhere more than one night, aware that the search for her had ended as soon as Mercer had taken control of the Guild. But she also admitted that she still slept with one eye open, just in case.

Being a Dunmer, I suggested that we should just stay in the Grey Quarter. Karliah understood my reasoning, so we ended up staying at a tavern, where my presence was tolerated, though I heard murmurs of resentment, even though it was obvious I was there with Karliah. So she suggested we show them how together we were, heading upstairs before the place was closed and made plenty of noise, enough that the innkeeper mentioned it the next morning, to our amusement.

Heading west and then north, following the road, it was a clear day so the statue of Azura was visible for miles. As it was a clear day, it was bitterly cold. I was okay but Karliah was huddled under furs as we rode along, muttering about my damned Nordic blood. The road took us close to Winterhold before we turned off and headed up the mountain path. Heading into the wilderness, even in a frozen landscape this far north, could lead us into some trouble. And that was the case when we ran into a frost troll.

Dismounting quickly, Karliah kept back and used her bow as I got in close, trying to turn the troll so Karliah could pepper its back with arrows. It worked but not before I took a good swipe from the troll, enough to leave an ugly gash in my armour, and I certainly felt pain in my chest. That just pissed me off at the same time, leaving plenty of wounds on the troll in return, and with all the arrows in its back, it’s white skin quickly ran red with blood. Finally weakening and dropping to its knees, I dropped my shield, placing two hands on the hilt of my sword as I swung at its neck.

Karliah was concerned about my wound, and used a little magic to heal me. I rarely saw her use magic, and I think the fact I didn’t react at all when she used it impressed her, as I knew most Nords hated magic. I felt okay even before being healed, but there was now no lingering pain at all, and we mounted our horses, continuing on our way. Apart from having to deal with a pack of wolves, Karliah shooting two of them, the rest running away in fright.

The wind was fierce the higher we climbed, and even I started to feel the bite. The world was a white canvas of snow. Not a thing seemed to grow. It was eerily beautiful, and when we stopped to look over the landscape, there were plenty of landmarks, none of which I knew, though Karliah was aware of one or two, pointing out the College, which was home to the mages of Skyrim, and one or two forts she knew of.

We dismounted again and climbed the steps towards base the statue itself. From up close, it was absolutely enormous, left staggered that anyone had managed to build a monument in such harsh conditions. I thought it would have been deserted, but there was a lone worshipper on their knees, rising to their feet as we approached.

“Azura has seen your coming, traveller. It was not curiosity, but fate, that has led you here.”

“Who are you?”

“I am Aranea Ienith, traveller. I am the last of my people to continue the worship of our god.”

I looked at Karliah. She shrugged, stating, “She’s not exactly wrong. But, then again, who in their right mind would remain here in this bitter cold?”

“What did you mean by ‘seen my coming’?” I wondered.

“Azura has given me the gift of foresight. I had a vision of you walking up the steps to this altar long before you were born. You have been chosen to be her champion. I know it is unexpected, but do not worry. It will all unfold as she has predicted.”

I couldn’t help chuckle. “Champion for another daedra!”

“Azura is no ordinary daedra, traveller. She is the Queen of Dawn and Dusk. The Queen of the Night Sky.” She paused before asking, “Who else are you champion for?”

“Nocturnal. We’re thieves.” Karliah sighed beside me, probably thinking I was an idiot for admitting that. But I didn’t see any real harm.

“Hmmm. Azura and Nocturnal are natural enemies. But my vision of your arrival would not be a lie. There must be a reason why you are here, and why you have been chosen.”

Glancing at Karliah again, she said, “Well, we are after daedric artefacts, so I can only assume we’ll end up with one if you’re her supposed champion.”

Looking back at Aranea, I nodded, stating, “Okay, if I’m her champion, what am I to do?”

“You must go to a fortress, endangered by water, yet untouched by it. Inside, you will find an elven mage who can turn the brightest star as black as night. It is cryptic, I know, but Azura's signs are never wrong. I believe the fortress may refer to Winterhold. Ask if they know this elven enchanter.”

Figuring Winterhold would at least be a good place to start, Aranea wished us good luck on our quest before we mounted our horses and headed back down the mountain. There was very little to Winterhold, having learned that most of the city had collapsed just under a century ago. There was the jarl’s residence, the usual tavern and inn, a shop which, upon inspection, didn’t have all that much. And while there were plenty of houses, most of them were abandoned. The only major feature of the city was the College, but despite not being concerned about magic, I had no real interest in learning it.

Wandering into the Frozen Hearth in, it was rather deserted, only the innkeeper and a few hardy souls busy getting slowly and quietly drunk. Asking the innkeeper about any elves making their home in Winterhold, we were pointed to an adjoining room, where we found an elven mage by the name of Nelacar.

He was immediately suspicious and I made sure my hands were away from my weapons as he glanced between Karliah and myself. Narrowing his eyes, he asked, “Who sent you? Was it the College? The Jarl? We agreed there would be no more questions.”

I had a feeling he wasn’t well liked either in Winterhold or the College. Figuring honesty was sometimes the best policy, as I was a habitual liar at times, I said, “A priestess of Azura sent me.”

I think having Karliah was rather convincing, as I noticed blood drain from his face, even as it was hidden by the hood of his cloak. “Azura? Gods, it's all finally coming back to haunt me,” he muttered.

Gesturing to the chairs at his small table, I said, “Why don’t you tell us everything you know. It might be best for all of us.”

He looked at us in silence for a few seconds before he sighed, already defeated, and he explained further once we were all sat down. “What do you know about soul gems?”

“They’re used for enchanting.” That was the extent of my knowledge. It was another thing to do with magic.

“They are. Except the gem is always consumed. They're frail. Except for one.”

“And I assume this is something to do with Azura?”

He nodded. “Azura's Star. A Daedric artifact that allows any number of souls to pass through it. Some of us wanted to find out how. I was working under Malyn Varen, then. If only we knew what he was really planning.”

He went into further detail about himself, Malyn, and the experiments they were performing. Their exile from the College, where Malyn headed after their exile, their joint work on the Star, and Malyn’s eventual descent into insanity. He then described how he went insane, apparently at the machinations of Azura herself. Considering what he’d told me, I didn’t particularly feel any sympathy. “We're nothing to the Daedra. Pawns to move around, praise, and punish as they see fit,” Nelacar retorted.

“Look, just tell us where Malyn is and we’ll get the Star.”

“And what will you do with it?”

“Keep it as an artefact.”

“Why? Don’t you realise you can use it? If you were to trap the souls of your foes, you could enchant your weapons and armour with considerable effects. Make your weapons capable of wielding fire. Enchant your armour to protect yourself from even the worst of magic.”

“And how would I do all that?” 

“When you get the Star, bring it to me and I can finish the work Malyn started.”

I didn’t agree, simply saying I would see once we found the Star. But at least he knew where Malyn was, a crumbling fort by the name of Ilinalta’s Deep, which rested on the north shore of Lake Ilinalta, which was just north of Falkreath. In other words, one hell of a long ride away.

Thanking Nelacar for the information, we headed back to the innkeeper and booked a room for the night. Figuring we were a couple, he gave us the room downstairs, for more privacy. We didn’t head downstairs straight away, heading outside to check the weather. The sky was still relatively clear, so could assess the time as late afternoon. Figuring there was nothing else to really do, we headed back inside and bought ourselves a tankard of ale.

One turned into a few, and after sharing a meal, the conversation turned rather suggestive as we sat side by side, and after suggesting it would be best to head downstairs, she was giggling away as she took my hand. Once we had a little privacy, she was all over me, as much as I was over her, our clothes disappearing rather quickly. Lying back on the bed naked, she simply spread her legs, grabbed my cock and guided me inside her. “Fuck me hard,” was all she said.

So I did. All the dirty talk in my ear has turned me on quite a lot, as after barely five minutes, I was ready to cum. She surprised me further by saying, “Pull out and cum on me.”

“Seriously?”

“Gods yes.”

Pounding that sweet Dunmer pussy for all I was worth, I barely pulled out in time to stroke myself to climax, my white ropes of cum standing out quite starkly against her dark skin. She giggled with delight once I was done, watching as she used a finger to scoop up one line and put it in her mouth. “Should have just asked me to finish there,” I said.

“I wanted to feel it on me rather than in me, Ragnar.”

“Okay, next time your face then.”

I watched her clean herself with her fingers, and she put on quite the show, as once she was done with that, she started to fondle herself. Not wanting to be left out, I got on the bed, hovering above her, using my fingers on her too as we made out. Sliding my fingers inside her, she gently rubbed her clit at the same time. “Why am I so fucking turned on, Ragnar?” she breathed.

“No idea, but I’m definitely not complaining.”

That made her laugh. “Of course you’re bloody not.” She paused before leaning up to whisper in my ear, “I’m even thinking about letting you fuck my arse.” She leaned back to meet my eyes. “You’d love that, wouldn’t you?”

“Karliah, your arse is fantastic. And you know I’d love to fuck you there.”

The smile was surprisingly sweet. “Well, maybe not tonight, but next time you’re at the Hall, you can show me how good it can be.”

She quieted down as I started to fuck her harder with my fingers, ensuring I was hitting the right spot. With her fingers now rubbing her clit furiously, her orgasm wasn’t long in arriving either. With the focus completely on her, I could watch her face, her eyes filled with lust and desire, her mouth parting slightly as she panted, getting every close to climax. “Ragnar,” she breathed, and I knew she was getting close.

When I felt her start to squeeze my fingers, that’s when I knew, and I slow my thrusting down as she continued to rub herself to completion. She was now quiet as she crested that wave, her back arching up into my body, feeling her legs wrap around me tightly as I managed to keep my hand moving. “Ragnar,” she breathed again. Gods, I loved it when a woman said your name like that. It sent a shiver up your spine.

She eventually had to cry enough, moving her hand and putting her fingers in my mouth, before I did the same with mine, enjoying her taste. Then we kissed as we stayed in the same position. “So, we were both rather horny,” she stated a little later.

“It was your fault with all that dirty talk in my ear upstairs.”

“What? All I said is that I wanted to be impaled on your big, thick cock, Ragnar. Haven’t you heard that before?”

“Well, yes, but it was the way your said it, then the way your breathed on my neck and in my ear while saying it…” I looked down and I was hard again. “See, just thinking about it does the job!”

She flipped around and got on her hands and knees. “Well, no point wasting a perfectly good erection, Ragnar. I think I need to be fucked again. Oh, and do the same again, but cum on my back. Maybe you can feed it to me this time?”

“By the Eight, woman!”

“What?” I couldn’t help smile as I slid my cock inside her again, hearing her gasp before her own smile formed. “Ragnar,” she said quietly.

Pulling her back against my body, I kissed her again before I held her and I fucker her gently to start with. She enjoyed it, and kissing down her neck certainly made her moan rather loudly. Though we started out soft and gentle, she was soon lying down on her front, arse in the air, and I was fucking her hard. And she got what she wanted in the end…

Lying together under the covers a long time later, as we carried on for quite a while, enjoying at least another climax or two each, I held her in my arms, feeling her hands stroke them in return. “Ragnar, you know how I said when this all started, to never say those words.”

“I remember.”

“I still won’t say them. But I…” She sighed, feeling her snuggle into me even more, her body moulded against mine. “I love the time we spend together. Not just the sex, although that is incredible in itself, but travelling around Skyrim with you. It reminds me of better times when I was young.”

“I’m just glad we’re doing this together. I love your company, Karliah.”

“Can I ask a question?”

“Sure.”

“What of Haelga? Will you eventually settle down with her?”

“We’ve talked about it already. She doesn’t want to marry again. I guess that suits me too. We love each other in our own way, but we will never be monogamous. I’ve always said since we started that she can be with others if she wants. I certainly won’t be jealous. She knows about you; she knows about Ingun. She knows I’ve had others around Skyrim.”

“What about children?”

“I don’t think my profession really leads to things such a wife and children, in all honesty. I love what I do, Karliah. And I like having a selection of women to be with. I don’t want to be tied down.”

“You’re just greedy.”

“I am. But lives are short for most of us. So I’m going to have some fun while I’m alive.”

“Will I be involved in that fun?”

“For as long as you’re willing to put up with it, Karliah. That’s all I can promise.”

She turned around to face me, a hand stroking my cheek before she kissed me softly on the lips. “For as long as possible,” she whispered, before she nestled her head against my chest. I wrapped her arms around her as she promptly fell asleep.

It took us two full days to ride from Winterhold to the area where the fort was situated. We made camp on the night of the second day of travel along the shoreline some distance from the fort. There was no sign that anything lived within its walls, though we agreed that if Malyn wasn’t alive, there were bound to be other mages he’d probably recruited over the years. Karliah suggested we both go armed with bows and do our work from a distance.

Camping under the stars that evening, we were sensible, knowing we wanted an early rise the next morning. We’d discussed whether it was worth returning to the shrine if we grabbed the Star. Karliah eventually said we should make the journey, just in case there was a profit in it, though I insisted that we keep the Star itself. She figured that would probably be the case regardless.

I’m sure I wasn’t the only one feeling a slight sense of foreboding as we entered the crumbling fort at dawn the next day. The skeleton we found shackled to a post certainly didn’t help our sense of unease. In a knapsack nearby we found a waterlogged journal. Most of it was unreadable but a small portion suggested he’d been a fisherman, and that stories abounded about the fort. Apparently it was haunted. I figured it was mages.

Dressed in our Nightingale armour, no doubt we blended into the shadows and darkness of the halls and corridors. It didn’t take long until we came across our first mages, and we put arrows in them before they could try out. Standing over the body of one, Karliah mentioned they were necromancers.

“Jog my mind, Karliah. Do I want to know what a necromancer is?”

“Not particularly. Let’s just say they don’t let the dead rest in peace.”

“Figured. Bastards. So we kill them all?”

“We’d be doing people a favour. I know we’re not exactly honourable, but there’s what we do, then there’s what these people do.”

So that’s what we did, a pair of Nightingales stalking the corridors, putting arrows in anything that resembled a necromancer. Other monsters patrolled, including skeletons and the undead. Seeing their rotting corpses stagger along was utterly unnerving. The fort itself was flooded, and our progress was stopped at times as passages we could have followed were submerged. We were never in any real danger from the water, but the further we travelled, the more necromancers were found. Of Malyn, I wouldn’t have recognised him anyway, but I figured none we killed were him, particularly as we didn’t find Azura’s Star.

Even Karliah was nervous when we kept heading down instead of up, figuring we must be heading further nad further underwater. How the entire fort wasn’t filled with water, I’ll never know. Maybe the fort was just built to last. Maybe it was magic. Maybe it was pure luck. But as we descended, there were even more necromancers. None gave anything away about what they were doing, simply going straight on the attack when they noticed our presence. Half the time Karliah and I managed to put them down without them ever knowing we were there, but sometimes luck still wasn’t exactly on our side.

Nocturnal was probably still a little pissed off about the whole Skeleton Key issue.

There was evidence as we wandered that the mages had made a home for themselves, figuring they were probably like Malyn, once of the College but now exiles. Or perhaps the avenues of magic they wanted to practice was frowned upon. If they were all necromancers, then little bloody wonder. The prison cells were found were thankfully empty, though Karliah murmured that the mages probably attempted to catch people for experimentation. Another good reason to kill them all.

We never did find Malyn Varen. Or, at least, we never found him alive. We entered a large room, having explored everywhere possible, finding a skeleton sat on what looked like a throne. If it wasn’t a throne, it was at least a rather comfortable chair. Funnily enough, sitting in the lap of the skeleton was the Star itself. Or, at least, I think it was. The fact it was black suggested something was amiss.

Beside the chair was a book, Karliah grabbing that to have a read. It contained the thoughts of Malyn, and it told us everything we needed to know. “We need to head straight back to Aranea, Ragnar. She will help us solve this.”

Getting out of the fort was easy, considering there was a ladder leading out onto the roof of the fort, giving us quite a beautiful view of the lake and opposite shoreline. We stood in silence for a couple of minutes, feeling the slight breeze, the call of nature around us. I had the thought that building a house somewhere along the shore would be quite a nice idea in the future, once I’d made enough coin to live comfortably the rest of my life. Maybe with enough rooms for some of the women in my life though…

Our horses were nearby, and we quickly packed up our camp and headed off, straight back the same way we came. It was another two-night journey, camping out under the stars the first night, staying in Windhelm in the Grey Quarter again on the second. Aranea was pleased to see us, but also surprised to see us so soon. After a quick explanation of what we’d discovered, I handed over the star. She lay it on the altar, stating she would commune with Azura herself. “Azura. Mother of Roses. Goddess of Dusk and Dawn. Your chosen champion has returned your Star to you.” Nothing happened, or at least I didn’t hear anything, then she turned to me. “She wishes to speak to you herself. Please, place your hands on the altar, and you will hear her voice.”

Doing as she asked, I quickly heard this soft, smooth, feminine voice. Quite similar to Nocturnal. She thanked me for retrieving her Star, though informed me that the reason the Star was black was due to Malyn actually occupying the Star itself. Wondering how such a thing was possible, Azura then gave me more news; to ensure the purity of the Star, I must venture into the Star’s realm to kill him.

Figuring I had little choice but to agree, Azura wasted little time sending me in. I have no idea it was just my soul or my entire body, but I knew taking on a mage such as Malyn would be difficult. So I wasn’t going to fuck around. Unsheathing my sword, attaching my shield to my forearm, I went searching for him. I eventually found him, he thought I was a captured soul until I told him to fuck off, then I ran after him. He flung some magic in my direction, including a fireball that came far too close for comfort, but he couldn’t run forever.

“I am immortal!” he cried. That was proven to be a lie when I ran him through with my sword, leaving his dying body on the ground.

I woke up, still standing at the altar, looking down to the see Azura’s Star now glowed a pure white. Aranea stood at my side again. “While you were in the Star, Azura gave me a vision. Her last, she said. I have never been without Azura's foresight since escaping Morrowind. I don't know what to do.” She seemed to think for a moment. “If you need me, I'd be honoured to accompany you, Guardian of the Star. It would give me a purpose.”

“I have told you what I do. Are you sure you can handle that?”

“My past is not clean, Guardian. As for what you and your friend do, it is not my position to judge. All I know is that you helped me and showed your devotion to Azura. To me, that is the only important thing.”

“What do you think, Karliah?”

“What skills would you bring, Aranea?” she asked.

“I was a sorceress of no small skill before I came into Azura's faith. Afterwards, her magic sustained me. I could easily provide my spells to your cause. Protect you from harm. Defeat your enemies.”

“Well, that’s me sold, Ragnar, but you’re the boss.”

“What would you do otherwise?” I wondered.

Aranea shrugged. “Azura said my part in all this was over. That my fate had moved beyond the Twilight, and I was on my own. I will tend Azura's shrine when you do not need me. I still have my duties, but for the first time I feel... alone.”

I can be a bastard at times, but I also have a heart. And she sounded so… heartbroken, I would have felt like an arsehole if I’d left her there. “Come with us, Aranea. Do you know of Riften?”

“I’ve heard of it. Is that where you call home?”

“It is. I’m sure we can find you something to do there and also a place to rest your head.”

“Then I would be delighted to join you, Guardian.”

Mounting our horses, Karliah figured she would join me on my horse, allowing Aranea to ride hers, and once we’d descended the mountain, we turned our horses south and began the long journey home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haven't really said much, but hope those following this are enjoying it. Leave a comment if you have any questions or if there's something you particularly like (or dislike.)


	14. Crossing a Line

Aranea was living at my place. No, we were not intimate. She was simply a friend, offered to be my steward, and would offer to accompany me on the road if and when I chose to head off on another adventure. I guess I didn’t really need a steward, but more importantly, it gave her a roof over her head, and I suggested she get to know any of her fellow mages in town.

I also had to warn her about my lifestyle. I didn’t exactly show her the Dibellan room, but I let her know that when Haelga visited, she would hear lots of noise from within. I also admitted that I would enjoy physical relations with the women I was intimate with around the house. She surprised me by simply laughing, stating she was young once, and if she did walk in on me with a woman, she would simply head to her own room.

My first visitor after Aranea moved in was actually Ingun. We saw each other often, nearly every day, but we very rarely spent a night together. After returning from the Shrine of Azura, I spent the first night with Haelga at the Bunkhouse, where we made love but spent most of the night just talking, then the next night I stayed with Karliah at the Hall.

Heading down to Elgrim’s shop, Ingun was behind the counter as always, busy working away, though as soon as she noticed it was me who walked in, she ran around the counter and leapt into my arms. Thankfully I was strong enough to hold her, even with her legs wrapped around me. “I’ve missed you!” she whispered before I was kissed in such a way, it was bound to get a bodily reaction.

“That’s why I’m here. How would you like to come to my place for dinner tonight?”

Her face lit up in absolute delight. “Of course. When would you like me there?”

“I’ll be home all day, so whenever you finish. I’m thinking dinner first, then perhaps dessert and a little wine or brandy on the porch.”

“Then sex?” she asked hopefully.

I couldn’t help chuckle. “Yes, then sex.”

She kissed me again before lowering herself to the ground, letting me know she would be at my front door at dusk. I headed to the market, as although I had plenty of food at the house, I thought some fresh fish would be a nice change. The Riften fishery just outside the city walls always had the latest catch, and for the price of a couple of septims, I had a couple of nice salmon steaks for Ingun and I. I was no chef, but I sprinkled a few herbs onto the fish in preparation, while I would do the same with the potatoes and vegetables. I had quite the wine collection growing, some I’d purchased legally, others gained through more nefarious means. I still didn’t rob from anyone within Riften, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t stoop to robbing transports between others cities and Riften, particularly if I heard there was something worth stealing.

Ingun appeared as the sun was slowly starting to set, the sky a beautiful mix of orange and purple. Inviting her inside, we sat at the dining table as I poured her some wine, and I served dinner rather quickly. She was rather complimentary of the meal I cooked. I wasn’t any sort of grand chef, but I was slowly learning what worked and what didn’t.

“And what’s for dessert?” she asked in such a tone, I think she was suggesting something other than the small cakes I’d bought. I mentioned I did have those, and a tasty brandy that should go with them. She surprised me stating she would like to have some of those and we could sit on the porch.

The sun had set by the time we took a seat on the porch. Torches had been lit across the city, providing light, though we sat mostly in darkness. Ingun lasted all of five minutes before she was sitting on my lap, leaning back against me, head resting against my shoulder. “It’s a lovely evening,” she said softly.

“It certainly is. Though I have to admit my first impression of Riften wasn’t great.”

“There’s a reason why it is like you see. Around seventy years ago, there was a jarl in charge of the city and surrounding area who proved little more than a tyrant. The people eventually cried enough and fought back, but after lighting his castle on fire, it spread and eventually consumed the entire city. What you see is the portion of Riften that’s been rebuilt. It used to be a grand old city on the shores of Lake Honrich. Now it’s… what you see. So, little wonder you didn’t think a lot. But Riften’s experienced a lot of hard times over the centuries.”

“Has your family always been in Riften?”

“Well, I was born here, as was mother. Before that, I’m not sure. I’ve never really asked, to be honest. What about you?”

“All I know is that I’m a Nord. Being an orphan…”

“Sorry.”

“No, no. Trust me, it’s not a wound of any sort. It’s just I don’t know my heritage at all.”

“So what do you think of Riften now?”

Putting my lips to her ear, I whispered, “Let’s just say I have a few reasons to stay,” before I kissed her cheek.

She stood up, and I thought was going to grab my hand to lead me inside. Instead, she sat down on her knees on my lap, and we had a little make out session while sitting on the porch. One or two of the guards may have noticed if walking at the right angle, but I’d discovered the porch did provide an element of privacy. I hadn’t had sex on the porch, though. Or, at least, I hadn’t yet.

Ingun and I didn’t have sex on the porch. After quite a long make-out session, during which I may have partially disrobed Ingun, we headed inside for some fun. Before doing that, though, she asked about my special room that I’d designed for Haelga. Slightly surprised that she was interested, I figured there was no harm in showing her.

I’ll admit I found her reaction to some of the things I had in their quite amusing, particularly the manacles and chains attached to the ceiling and roof, and then she had a nosy in the drawers, pulling out a rather long phallic like object. “She likes this?”

“In her arse,” I stated bluntly.

Ingun’s jaw dropped. “Seriously?” she asked quietly.

“I’m sure you’ve heard the rumours about Haelga. While most of them are probably true, there is a good reason why we are together too.”

“You really like her, don’t you?”

“I do. She’s totally misunderstood. And, surprisingly, since we started our relationship, I know she has not been with anyone else. She says she hasn’t, and I believe her.”

“Do you want me to do anything like this? I mean, like with the chains or…”

“No. Not at all. I made all this purely for Haelga and I. She’s into it, and I don’t mind experimenting with her.”

I think she sighed with relief, putting the rather large phallic object back in the drawer. In the comfort of my bedroom, I slowly undressed her until she was nude, then lay her back on the bed and ate her out to a couple of orgasms. Laying down next to her after the second, she lay back with a sweet smile on her face as she recovered, ensuring she cuddled into me, then laughing away when she realised I was still clothed except for having removed my shoes.

We stayed like that for quite a while, continuing to chat away. Ingun loved to talk about all her experiments, and I’d happily listen. There’s nothing better than listening to someone speak so enthusiastically about their passions. I did the same with Haelga, though her passions were more about what we did together, while Karliah would regale me with stories of jobs she’d pulled prior to her exile.

Ingun eventually had enough and pulled me to my feet and slowly undressed me. Her hands were like mine, a little rough. She worried about them from time to time, so I made sure I spent plenty of time kissing her palms, letting her know that I didn’t worry about them. Once she had me naked, she returned the favour by dropping to her knees. Looking up at me with those gorgeous eyes of hers, I didn’t last particularly long, though I was rather turned on from having spent so long eating her out.

She didn’t blow me to completion. I let her knew I was close before she lay back on the bed so we could fuck, albeit very briefly, before I came. She held onto me tightly as I did, kissing me all over my face. “I love it when you do that,” she whispered. Thankfully, because of her job, she always had plenty of potions to prevent the possible outcome of always doing that.

We made love again a little later, this time Ingun quite happily riding me for quite a while. She knew I loved watching her slowly grind herself with my length inside her, while I could run my hands all over her body, particularly those two perfect globes on her chest, which I’d be constantly sitting up to suck and lick, feeling her hands wrap around my head to hold my head in place as I did so. Once we both came, I’d lie down with her on top of me, heading resting on my chest as I stroked her back. Apart from her hands, the rest of her was silky smooth. I really did enjoy every time we were together. I think we would have both liked it more often, but she understood my lifestyle, so we just ensured we enjoyed every single moment we were together.

I walked her to the shop the next morning, where she made sure to leave a very long, lingering kiss on my lips before she softly bid me farewell for the moment. I often looked at Ingun, then compared her to the rest of the family, and wondered how someone as kind-hearted and good natured as her ever rose from the rest. Don’t get me wrong, I worked for Maven in a way, but the difference between Ingun and the rest was stark.

The next couple of days were spent with Vex, Delvin, Brynjolf and Karliah, looking into more Daedric artefacts and what we could possibly find next. We thought obtaining any known texts on Daedra would help us locate further locations of statues, or at least an idea of what we might be looking for. The five of us did manage to put together a list of Daedra we know about, but as to if they had statues or shrines, we didn’t know.

“Put out feelers about any Daedric influence,” I suggested, “If any strange occurrences are happening around Skyrim, perhaps it might involve one of them?”

“Not a bad idea. Daedra can be behind some of the strange shit that goes on around here,” Brynjolf admitted, “I’ll send out word, and if there’s anything weird that catches the eye or ear, we should certainly be notified.”

“Are you still sure we should be doing this?” Delvin asked. I wasn’t the only one to hear the concern in his tone.

I understand his caution. “What concerns you?”

“Look, you’ve done a bloody good job, boss. But we’ve already got the blessing of one Daedra. That I can handle. But if we go supporting more Daedra, or obtaining more of their artefacts, we’re going to start gaining the attention of others who won’t like it.”

“You mean the Vigilants,” Vex stated.

“Precisely. And they don’t fuck around. They will come in here so fast, it’ll make your head spin.”

“Vigilants?” I had to ask, “Never heard of them.”

“They hunt Daedra worshippers, boss,” Delvin explained, “And if the get even the faintest whiff of that, they ask no questions. And they have free reign to do so.”

“Okay, so we do our investigations and we do it quietly. And if we get a hint the Vigilants are closing in, we shut it down until they lose interest.”

The four shared a glance and agreed that wasn’t a bad idea. I guessed Delvin would remain concerned no matter what, but at least he’d got it off his chest immediately, instead of continuously worrying about it.

Heading home when it was dark, I’d barely shrugged off my coat when there was a knock at the door. Not expecting Karliah or Ingun, I thought it would be Haelga. I had told her as soon as I moved into Riftweald that she was welcome anytime she wanted as she definitely didn’t need an invitation. Opening the door, I was surprised to see a courier. “Ragnar of Riften?”

“Aye.”

“I have a letter for you.”

That surprised me. One, because apart from members of the Thieves Guild, very few knew I even existed, let alone knew where I lived. Taking the letter from the courier, I did have a glance around outside as he walked away, wondering if anyone was watching my place. I wasn’t nervous or suspicious, but I was wondering who and why I had a letter.

_Dear Ragnar,_

_I hope this letter finds you well._

_I know my writing you probably has you wondering who has written to you and why. I must confess that I find myself thinking of you often, and that as I’ve thought of you and the time we spent together, I find myself wondering if you are just the man I need to solve my problem._

_I have told you everything that happened to me, but I was wondering if you might be willing to help me further. I don’t wish to write too much in this letter, but if you are willing to help me, please return to Markarth as soon as possible so I can explain._

_Love,_

_Muiri_

“I wonder what she wants?” I muttered to myself. While I don’t believe it was urgent, considering I wasn’t doing a whole lot else, I figured I might as well just go straight away.

After letting everyone at the Flagon know that I’d be heading out for a few days, not exactly wanting to share too many details, even with Karliah, I did let Haelga know that I was heading west again. Naturally, she was ever so concerned about me heading into Markarth after last time. I hugged her and quietly told her that I’d be fine, as anyone involved in my incarceration was either dead or in jail themselves.

It was at least midday by the time I departed, so knew I’d still be on the road come nightfall. I wasn’t too worried, as I had my sword and shield, a dagger, plus my bow and quiver of steel arrows. I didn’t wear my Nightingale armour, going with my scaled armour that I’d bought from Grelka. I couldn’t always wear my Nightingale armour, as it would simply draw too much attention, so I would generally wear that if the job was at night.

I made it to Falkreath after dark, only having to deal with a few wolves, shooting two of them from horseback, scaring the rest off by summoning a small ball of flame and flinging it in their general direction. I very rarely used magic, but there were rare occasions that I would. Booking a room at the inn, I did enjoy a couple of tankards and conversation with the locals before bed.

The journey between Falkreath and Markarth took place in peace though the weather took a turn, and I arrived at Markarth stables drenched to the bone. Heading straight to Muiri’s house, she opened the door, took one look at me and gasped, before grasping my forearm and dragging me inside. “You’re soaked, Ragnar, and you’ll catch a chill!”

She helped me take off my soaking clothes until I was just in my underwear, sitting me down by the fire before she grabbed a blanket and wrapped me in it, grabbing a towel so she could dry my hair at the same time. I didn’t realise how cold I was until I sat by the fire. I was near frozen. She sat down next to me and got under the blanket too, wrapping her arms around me. She felt very warm.

“I didn’t think you’d come so quickly,” she said, though I could hear how pleased she was to see me.

“It sounded urgent, and I had nothing else on, so I left as soon as I received your letter.”

“Do you want to know now or can it wait until morning?”

“Morning is fine. I just want to get warm and eventually go to sleep.”

We slept together that night, in the same bed, but we did nothing but cuddle, Muiri moulding herself into my body as I held her. We didn’t talk a whole lot. I think she wanted to discuss whatever was on her mind, and I wanted to ask plenty of questions. I did ask what had happened in Markarth since I’d left, and apparently the jarl now owned the mine, and was making sure any profit made flowed back into the city. As for the Silver-Bloods, most of them were now dead, and their influence in the city had waned significantly.

The next morning after breakfast, Muiri sat with me by the fire and told me what she wanted. “I want you to kill someone for me, Ragnar. No, not just one. I want two people dead.”

“Muiri, I’m…”

She squeezed my hand. “Let me finish. Please.” I nodded. “Have you ever heard of the Black Sacrament?”

Of course I had. No-one would admit it, but everyone had heard of the Dark Brotherhood, and the Black Sacrament was performed to contact them. I didn’t know if the Brotherhood existed in Skyrim. I’d heard rumours of others trying to contact them, and Mercer had mentioned an agreement with the Brotherhood regarding dealing with Guild matters. So I guess they were somewhere around. I admitted to Muiri that I knew what it was.

“I performed the Black Sacrament, Ragnar, because I want Alain Dufont dead. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here alone in Markarth. My friends wouldn’t have run me out of Windhelm when he broke my heart and took everything from them. But while he deserves to die, so does Nilsine. We were like sisters, as was I with Friga. Yet when she died, and I went looking for comfort, I was cast aside by all of them. She should suffer like I have.” I didn’t say anything as this was a request I had slightly expected, but actually hearing it was something else altogether. She looked at me with pleading in her eyes. “Say something, please?” she asked quietly.

“Alain, I can kill without worry. He’s a bandit, or whatever… Even better, I’ll try and get my hand on anything he’s stolen. But Nilsine… Muiri, that’s straight up murder. That’s…” I took a deep breath. “I know I’m a thief. I do it with barely any hesitation, and rarely if ever feel any guilt about it. I can still claim that being a thief is generally a victimless crime, in the sense no-one is hurt.”

She grabbed both my hands and kissed me, our mouths opening, tongues dancing, and I knew then and there that I’d agree. Because I really liked her. And though I’d never felt the heartache she’d suffered, I guess there was a small part of me that understood, even sympathised with her. When she broke the kiss, she barely leaned back, stroking my cheek with her right hand. “Will you, for me, Ragnar?” she asked softly.

“For you, Muiri, I will.”

She kissed me deeply again, and I knew from that moment, she was mine, as much as I was hers. I eventually had to gently prise her off me so I could get details. Nilsine was in Windhelm, that was the easy part. I needed to know where Alain was. “Raldbthar. It’s a Dwemer ruin west of Windhelm. He will have men with him. I always wondered who some of them were. He always told me they were old friends. I was such a fool…”

I suggested I should leave immediately, and would only return once the deed was done. Muiri walked with me all the way to the stables, where I wrapped my arms around her again, our parting kiss leaving both of us longing for each other, I’m sure. I’ll be honest, if it wasn’t for the three women I had to Riften, I’d had moved to Markarth immediately. She was beautiful, intelligent, and obviously had a dangerous, dark streak to her. She knew I liked her, and I knew I was being slightly used, but I didn’t mind at all.

Having everything I would need, I headed straight in the direction of Windhelm. It wasn’t raining but was still bitterly cold, thankfully all my clothes having dried out as they’d been hung for the fire all night. I always took camping supplies so was prepared for when I had to camp during the night. It took two nights of travel to make it all the way to Windhelm, thankfully making it in the early morning. The first thing to do was ask about Raldbthar, and with the map I had, locals in one of the taverns were able to point me in the right direction, asking why I was interested. I said I had a problem that needed dealing with. Most figured I was some sort of mercenary or bounty hunter. That suited me just fine.

The next job was to locate Nilsine Shatter-Shield. Muiri gave me all the information I needed. Where their house was and a general description of the woman herself. Dressing in regular clothing, I tried to make myself invisible in the crowds and finding Nilsine wasn’t particularly difficult, as Muiri gave me a rundown of her usual day. Then it was just a matter of tracking her movements and getting her alone.

It took a couple of days, but I generally worked out her general daily pattern, and more importantly, when I could get her alone. There were a couple of alleys she had to walk down to get to her place, which I’d observed her take as a shortcut home. Walking home after her day at work on my third day in Windhelm, I was leaning casually against a wall when I noticed her approach. She walked along without a care in the world, and I knew this was going to be simple. She even looked at me and smiled as she walked past.

“Nilsine,” I said.

She turned and looked at me. “Do I know you?”

“No. But you know someone I know. Muiri sends her regards.”

I moved fast for a big man, managing grab and turn her, clamp a hand over her mouth as I drove the dagger into her gut. It took a couple of times before she started to weaken, watching her eyes drain of life. Once she was dead weight in my arms, I dragged her into a secluded corner, propping her up and closing her lifeless eyes.

Looking down at her body, I was concerned. It wasn’t the fact I’d just committed cold-blooded murder. It was the fact I felt nothing at all. No guilt. No joy. No… anything. Muiri had asked me to do something for her, and I’d done it. It was only the fact I felt nothing about it that made me feel uneasy. Maybe the guilt and other feelings would come?

My hands were a little bloody, so I put those in my pocket and made straight for the city gates. Thankfully my clothing was otherwise clean so I didn’t draw any attention. No doubt someone would find her body soon enough, and I wanted to be as far away as possible. Mounting my horse, I rode for a good half an hour before I pulled up next to the river on my right and washed my hands, watching the red drip off and float away. Still nothing… The only thing I thought is that I wanted to do it for Muiri. Kill Alain. Kill Nilsine. Make her happy.

This far north was nothing but cold, windy and snowbound, the wind cutting through my coat, and eve my Nord blood had difficulty keeping me warm. Raldbathr rested in a small mountain range, so I camped by the shores of the nearby river, still some distance away, but I could cover the rest easily the next morning. There was a mill on the opposing side of the river where I could have stayed, but after events in Windhelm, I wanted to avoid any sort of population. Even the mill could be guarded, and they could be in communication with those in Windhelm, and while I’d got away unseen, someone was bound to have noticed my presence…

Knowing I was always going to stand out in such a snowy landscape, I did my best to remain in cover as I approached the Dwemer ruin. I could see a patrol near the entrance, three people in total. I wasn’t a crack shot with a bow like Karliah, but I was still decent, so attempted to make my job a little easier. Loosing half a dozen arrows, three found their mark, one in the chest of one, two in the chest and stomach of the second. I missed the third completely, so he came charging towards me. They never learn, as I took out my sword and shield, deflecting his strike and returning a swing of my own. The cut went straight across his chest, drawing blood. It would have hurt, but to his credit, he stayed on his feet. He swung again, this time dodging, continually moving, never offering a still target. He started to weaken as the wound would now be painful, and once I felt the power in his swing diminish, I finished the job with another strike, this time burying the point of my sword in his chest.

Climbing the stairs towards the entrance, I put the first one I hit out of his misery, hearing his laboured breathing as he was dying slowly. I made no apologies as I did so. He was little more than a bandit. I like to think there’s a hierarchy of those on the opposing side of the law, and I considered people such as myself ‘unlawful good’ or at least ‘unlawful neutral’. Bandits were just arseholes, and we’d never had any problem dealing with them like we would vermin.

I didn’t have to go too far into the ruin to find the rest of the bandits, including Alain, who I recognised from the description Muiri gave me. But there were a few of them, and running in screaming would have just led to my death. I needed to find a way to get Alain alone. Judging where they were located, I found a side passage, and after a few minutes, ended up on an elevated section near where they were.

“Jackpot!” I whispered to myself.

Keeping out of sight, there was a pair of Dwemer ballistae ahead. Judging where they were aimed, the one on the right looked like it was aimed near Alain. Not the one I wanted. He was mine to deal with personally. The ballista on the left was perfect, and all it took was the pulling of a lever to send down a hail of bolts. It created carnage below me, hearing the screams of the dying as I ran down the stairs, sword and shield in hand. Alain was crouched over the bodies of his dead or dying men, and it took him a few moments to recognise I was there.

“Who the fuck are you?”

“Muiri says goodbye, Alain.”

“Muiri? Muiri? So, what, you're the cow's champion? Oh, now that is rich. Well then, champion, let's get this over with.”

“For calling her that, I’m going to make your death nice and slow.”

He wielded an enormous warhammer, and I could see it was also enchanted by the way it glowed in his hands. That didn’t concern me. I’d fought plenty of warriors who wielded two-handed weaponry, and I found them far easier to kill, as large weapons were heavy, cumbersome, and often forced a warrior off balance. And Alain was some dumb bandit, not a trained warrior, and probably not with a weapon like he was holding. 

I was proven right rather quickly, as his swings were wild, and I was able to easily dodge them. So that’s what I did, leading him around the room as he swung again and again, and I could see him slowly tiring with each one. After a while, I started to parry and leave cuts on his arms or legs. While that angered him, it made his swings even wilder, and soon I had to say enough, and disarming him was quite simple. Exhausted as he was, it wasn’t a surprise he slumped to his knees, immediately driving my sword into his chest before withdrawing and beheading him.

Grabbing the warhammer, I could feel the cold from the iron head. I had a look around for any more valuables, and considering they’d pulled a job on the Shatter-Shields, I found plenty of gold and jewels to take for myself. I had no intention of returning the warhammer to Windhelm. I was going to take it to Markarth and let Muiri decide.

Arriving in Markarth around lunchtime three days later, I knew Muiri would be at work so I headed to the Silver-Blood Inn, where I could enjoy a hot meal and a couple of tankards, listening into the conversation. Considering it was still called the Silver-Blood Inn, I did ask about the proprietors of the establishment.

“I’m the owner now,” Kleppr stated, “Me and my wife, Frabbi. Jarl Ingmund took it off their hands and allowed us to buy it at a knockdown price.”

“So what happened to them?” I wondered.

“Thonar is dead, as is his wife. Thongvor is working in Cidhna Mine.”

“The jarl threw him in jail?”

“Conspiracy against the throne and supporting the Stormcloaks was always bound to see the man in chains. He’s lucky his neck didn’t find a noose or the headman’s axe. Whatever the case, the Silver-Blood family is finished in Markarth.”

“About damned time too!” someone shouted, with plenty of roars of approval from others.

I stayed in the tavern until workers started to arrive, suggesting the working day was done. Heading outside, I took a moment to take a deep breath, noticing the sun was going down. Walking up towards Muiri’s place, I knocked on her front door, and noticed her surprise when it opened.

“It’s done,” I stated simply.

She leapt on me, there’s no other way to describe it, her arms wrapping around my neck, her legs around my waist, as I walked forward, kicking the door shut behind me, as I carried her inside. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!” she said for a moment before resuming our kiss.

I carried her as far as the couch, where I sat down with her still on my lap. She eventually broke the kiss, leaning back for a moment. “I can never repay you for what you’ve done for me, Ragnar.”

“I did it for you, Muiri,” I said softly, “And I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

The smile she returned… Well, I’m sure you can probably imagine how sweet it was. She lowered her mouth to mine again, our kiss a lot softer, but by Ysmir, did it convey a lot more feeling. Wrapping my arms around her, I pulled her close before rolling her onto the couch on her back, ensuring her head rested on a cushion. We made out for quite a while, my coat and shirt eventually disappearing, allowing Muiri to run her hands up and down my arms and back, cooing about how strong I felt.

“Sure you can handle still seeing me after what I did?” I wondered.

She stroked my cheek again. “You did it for me, Ragnar. It makes me wonder what else you would do…”

“Come with me to Riften. What holds you here?”

“Nothing,” she admitted, “There’s no reason for me to stay at all.”

“There are houses for sale in Riften. I can help put you up somewhere. And you can open your own ship. There’s an apothecary in town. The gentleman who runs it may even guide you, much like your current boss.”

“You are with other women though?”

I nodded. “I am. There is one woman I am particularly fond of. Her name is Haelga. But I feel for you the same way I feel for her.”

“You feel that way, and we’ve only met a handful of times?”

I grabbed her hand, interlacing our fingers. “Sometimes the heart just knows,” I said quietly.

“I knew the first time we talked,” she confessed, no more than a whisper, “And the others?”

“One is named Karliah. I work with her and we enjoy each other’s company. The other is Ingun. We are intimate infrequently.” I paused, before asking, “So you’ll come with me back to Riften?”

“Give me tomorrow to get my affairs in order, then I’ll put this place up for sale and leave with you immediately.” I couldn’t help smile before kissing her. “Take me to bed, Ragnar. I want you to make love to me.”

Picking her up was easy considering she was smaller. After taking a long time to undress her, as I kissed every inch of her body upon appearing, she did the same thing to me when taking off my trousers, though my shirt was already off. She did get down on her knees for a moment, but I picked her up and laid her down on the bed, continuing to cover her body with my mouth and hands, feeling her writhe underneath me, breathing my name as I made my way towards her sex.

Hearing a woman scream my name as she orgasmed was always a great feeling, but when Muiri did it, there was a tone of love and affection I heard only very rarely. Who would have thought doing such a thing for a woman would have provoked such intense feelings? I’d crossed a real line, one I never thought I would. Sure, I’d killed before, but there were circumstances to it. What I did to Nilsine was flat-out cold-blooded. But Muiri had asked, and I’d willingly complied.

She begged for me to make love to her once she’d recovered, and I couldn’t help groan as I slid my cock inside her. Our lips barely parted except for when we needed to take a deep breath, and the look in her eyes, as she stared into mine, told me the depth of feelings she was now experiencing. I think she even wanted to say a few certain words, even this quickly, as there was no doubt she was feeling rather intense emotions.

I remained gentle the entire time. I didn’t want to just fuck and pound away at her. I wanted to enjoy every single moment I was inside her. Her warmth and tightness. The feeling of her fingers on my arms, my back and my face. Her gentle kisses as I slowly thrust into her. Listening to her little moans and gasps as she enjoyed the size of my cock inside her.

Eventually she ended on top, her tight little Breton body riding my cock to another climax. I was surprising myself by how long I was lasting, but I was doing everything I could to hold back, because when I finished, that was going to be me done for the night. After she recovered again, she bent down as I ran my hands down her back to rest on her arse. I leaned up to kiss her before gently warning that I was going to go a little harder so I could finish. She just smiled and told me she was waiting for me to cum.

Hands down, it was on the best climaxes I’d had in my life up to then. I’m fairly sure I passed out momentarily, my eyelids fluttering open to see Muiri looking down at me, that same sweet smile on her face, running a hand down the side of mine before she kissed me softly again. “I’ve never felt like this for anyone before,” she whispered.

“Not even him?”

She shook her head. “Nothing like that. I was in a different place. What you’ve done for me, Ragnar. Even before that. The very first time we spoke in the tavern, I felt an attraction. Then when you visited again, I just had to have you. Now you’ve done this for me, and the depth of feeling I now have…”

“I was attracted within five minutes,” I confessed, “I wanted to be with you that first night.”

She smiled, almost shyly. “Me too. But I wondered what you would have thought of me.”

“I would have found any reason possible to visit here all the time.”

She grabbed my hand, holding it to her chest. “Say I’ll always be yours. I know there are others, but say you’ll never leave me. I don’t care who the others are. I just want you whenever I can have you. Maybe even one day all to myself in the future.”

“Muiri, I can definitely give you my word as a Nord.” I reached up to caress her face, the look that appeared one of absolute contentment. “Besides, we share quite the… secret now.”

“You killed for me, Ragnar,” she whispered, “And I love you for it.” Opening her eyes, she looked down into mine. “Does me admitting that frighten you?”

“No. I’d do it again tomorrow if you wanted me too.” Lifting her off my now shrinking cock, I laid her down beside me, turning so we could face each other. Her eyes were beautiful and brown, looking at me with such wonderment… “The only thing that concerns me when I did it… I felt nothing. Shouldn’t I feel guilty about it?”

“Maybe because, deep down, you know it was deserved. Because what they did to me was completely undeserved.”

I wasn’t sure about that, but in the end, it didn’t matter. What’s done is done, and I’d done it for her, pretty much without any hesitation whatsoever. She eventually turned over and nestled her body against mine, again cooing about how my arms felt around her body. “You make me feel safe and loved, Ragnar. I’ve never felt that before with anyone,” she said quietly.

To be honest, I loved holding her too, and I eventually fell asleep with my arms still tight around her. Waking the next morning, neither of us had moved, though she did have a giggle as I was poking her. But that was just a good excuse to make love in the morning, building up an appetite as she disappeared to make breakfast, returning a few minutes later, carrying a tray of food. She hadn’t dressed, so I was allowed a real appreciation of her naked body. “You’re beautiful,” I said softly. She really was. I didn’t lie about such matters. Other things, however…

After enjoying breakfast in bed, Muiri said she would have things to sort out. Quitting her job wasn’t a problem, and she would speak to the steward about selling her house. After that, she would simply pack a bag and we would ride my horse back to Riften. Sounded easy enough, so while she did all that, I wandered around Markarth, able to actually enjoy the sights and sounds of the ancient Dwemer city. Some were not convinced it was built by them, but in my opinion, it was bloody obvious they had.

Heading back to her place at lunchtime, she appeared a little later, stating preparations were underway, and she would be able to leave first thing the next morning. In celebration, we headed to the inn later that evening for a meal and drinks. She didn’t know that many people in the city, having generally kept to herself, though it wasn’t surprising that people mentioned we looked like a happy couple. She didn’t stop smiling, while I certainly felt rather relaxed in her company.

After dinner, we headed back to hers where we made love again. I had a feeling I’d never ‘fuck’ Muiri, not unless she wanted me to. We would always ‘make love’, the sex gentle, with plenty of caressing, cuddling, kissing, murmurs of affection, which would no doubt turn into expressions of love soon enough. I’m not sure if one can love more than one person at once. I loved Haelga and everything we shared. I held a great deal of affection for Karliah and Ingun, and while my feelings were intense for the former, it wasn’t love. But there was no doubt in my mind I was utterly and hopelessly falling for Muiri. It was actually a really nice feeling.

We left Markarth just after dawn the next day. Muiri expressed no sadness about leaving. Instead, she was excited about joining me on a journey across Skyrim and then settling down in Riften. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and the two-day ride was a lot of fun. We camped just outside Riften, where we made love under the stars, Muiri looking up to the heavens as she climaxed, exclaiming for all who could hear that she loved me. Though we had a tent, we spent some time lying on our backs, looking up into the night sky, trying to point out any constellations we knew. It was quite the romantic evening by the campfire.

Walking into Riften the next day, I invited Muiri to stay with me until she had a place of her own. I did explain that, although I would have liked her to move in, due to my lifestyle, that would have made things very awkward. Thankfully, she completely understood, insisting she wasn’t expecting me to change for her, or at least, not yet. I gathered immediately what she was insinuating, and though I’d discussed a similar thing with Haelga, the thought of it with Muiri… didn’t scare me at all. Strange…

Escorting her to the Bee and Barb that evening, I introduced her to some of the locals, including both Ingun and Haelga, who were both intrigued by my new guest. I explained she was a friend from Markarth who was moving to Riften, so would be staying with me for a few days until we could buy a place of her own.

“Ah, is this your ‘friend’, Ragnar?” Haelga wondered.

"Yes, it is.”

“And she followed you here from Markarth?”

“Yes, she did.”

Haelga looked at Muiri. “I don’t blame you one bit. Though I assume you’re aware of everything?”

“I am. I’m very understanding. But after everything he’s done for me, and the opportunity to start anew here, how could I not come with him?”

Haelga looked at me again. “Oh, Ragnar, she has it bad for you!” For once, I actually felt myself blush. “So if she’s staying with you, I guess you’ll be staying at mine if you visit?”

“I’ll visit or you can visit mine once Muiri is in her own place. I don’t particularly want to leave her alone in mine.”

“Oh, I don’t mind…” Muiri said.

“But I would,” Haelga stated, to my surprise, “So, until you are in your own place, he’s all yours. Enjoy it while you can, because once I get him back, I’m wearing him out!”

Back in Riftweald later that evening, I introduced her to Aranea, explaining that the Dunmer was my steward, whispering into Muiri’s ear that I was definitely not intimate with her. That made her laugh, assuring me she didn’t think I leapt on everything with a heartbeat.

It took a week for us to find a property she liked, but with all the coin I’d made for the Guild, affording it wasn’t a problem. On the day she moved in, we had all the furniture she would need delivered in the morning, before spending the afternoon getting her house in order. The home was called Honeyside, and as further assistance to her, I offered her the services of Aranea to help the upkeep of her place. Aranea didn’t mind, suggesting it would keep her busy. We sealed her moving in day by enjoying a night together in her new place.

The very next day I was home alone when there was a knock at the door. I was getting used to people knowing who I was and therefore receiving visitors, but the fact it was a courier again did have me questioning who outside the city knew where I lived. I generally didn’t give away that detail.

Taking the letter, I opened it once I had some privacy. There was little too it. A simple handprint. And two words underneath it.

‘We know.’


	15. The Visitor

“It’s the Dark Brotherhood, boss,” Delvin said, sitting across from me at my dining table. 

“Is this letter a threat or… something else?” 

He met my eyes. “They know you committed murder, that’s for sure. Who in oblivion did you kill?”

“I did it for Muiri. She admitted to performing the Black Sacrament, but she never received any word from the Dark Brotherhood. So, she asked me to do it instead.”

“And you did it?” he asked, unable to hide his surprise.

“It’s a long story, but yes, I did it for her.”

He paused before asking, “Really like her, huh?”

“I think I love her.”

That made him laugh. “Now in love with two women? Most of us are happy with one! You’re asking for trouble, boss.”

“I’ll worry about that if or when it blows up in my face. Right now, I’m worried about the Dark Brotherhood. They obviously know where I live. So what are they going to do? Send assassins after me?”

Delvin shrugged. “I can’t tell you, boss. I’m not exactly sure where they base themselves. Though I’m aware of their leader, and I’ve had communication with them before, we are separate entities. But as you’ve proven willing to commit murder, they might even try and recruit you.”

“I’m not a….” I paused, then sighed, “Guess I can’t really say that after doing it.”

“Tell me this, boss. How did or do you feel after doing it?”

“Honestly?” He nodded. “Not a damned thing. And that’s the only thing that concerns me.” I leaned forward and lowered my voice. “Alain was a justified kill, Delvin. But Nilsine… That was straight up murder, no matter what happened between Muiri and her family. I can admit that much. But I felt nothing about that. The only thing I felt was that Muiri would be pleased I’d done it, and that made me feel… Good would be the wrong word, but… Know what I mean?”

“Killing for love. Many men have done it before, boss. You’re not the first, and won’t be the last. The fact you feel nothing doesn’t mean it’s for you. In your mind, perhaps you simply feel both deaths were justified. I don’t know the whole story, but to be honest, people don’t perform the Black Sacrament without having a very good reason for someone to die. The only thing I don’t understand is how or why the Dark Brotherhood didn’t respond to it?”

“That’s why she asked me in the end, because no-one from the Brotherhood showed up.”

Delvin leaned back, stroking his smooth chin. “I’ll put it like this, boss. The Brotherhood know what you did, that much is for certain. But as to what they want with you, I’m not sure. I don’t think they’ll kill you in return. The only thing I can suggest is that, when out on the open road, watch your back.”

“I’ll do that then. Just tell the locals to watch for anything suspicious, or if anyone looks out of place. If that’s the case, I’ll confront them myself. I don’t want to see us descend into violence, or worse, battle against the Brotherhood. This is on me; I can handle it.”

“I’ll pass the word down, boss.”

Muiri invited me around for dinner that night, and although I didn’t want to worry her, I did let her know what was going on. Naturally, she was crestfallen to hear that I was possibly in danger because of her request, though I insisted I’d have done it regardless. Asking what I would do, I said I would just have to wait and see what happened, but as I didn’t particularly want to be assaulted on the open road, I suggested I’d be staying in Riften for the time being. She was delighted to hear that, as was Haelga the next evening, when she came to mine for dinner before an evening in the Dibella room.

Lying in bed that evening, I admitted what I’d done for Muiri, in that she’d given me two targets, and that I’d eliminated them both. I thought she would have been utterly horrified by it, but having explained what happened to Muiri and her effective exile to Markarth, she was more understanding than I could have ever given her credit for.

Brynjolf naturally worried about it, as the last thing he wanted was my assassination. Credited with restoring the Guild, he thought if I disappeared, the whole thing would slowly but surely collapse. I figured he or Karliah would be perfect replacements, but he insisted that people were put on both gates to watch for suspicious characters. I relented, and said that was fine, and probably not a bad idea.

After a couple of weeks since the letter, I hadn’t forgotten about it, but I’d certainly relaxed, as had everyone else. I still left the house armed, though that was natural. After just a week stuck in Riften, I cried enough and went for a ride as for as Shor’s Stone, and apart from some wild animals, which were smart enough to leave me alone, I had no trouble. The next day, I took Karliah out for a ride south and west, where we did a little hunting, camping out for the night by the lake. She was the only one unconcerned about the letter, confident in my abilities to look after myself. “If you can defeat Mercer Frey in single battle, you can handle an assassin from the Brotherhood,” she stated.

“Know much about them?”

“I know that, as a force, they’ve been effectively exterminated. Most of their sanctuaries have been destroyed over the years. I have heard of two that still might exist. One in Cheydinhal…”

“Fuck off!” I exclaimed, “You’re serious?”

“You would never have known, Ragnar. The Brotherhood don’t go advertising their presence. But I’m not sure even that still remains. I’ve heard rumour of a crypt in Bravil, but I believe that was destroyed or at least abandoned centuries ago.”

“Well, the fact I have a letter with that handprint on it suggests something.”

“I’ve heard rumours of a Brotherhood sanctuary in Skyrim, but where it is, I can’t tell you. I wouldn’t suggest you try locating them. The Brotherhood protect their secrecy above everything. You could perform the Black Sacrament to draw them out, but considering the whispers about others performing it and having no response, it would suggest the Brotherhood, if they still exist, wield no real power. It’s another reason why you have no real reason to worry, Ragnar.”

I wish she had been right…

* * *

Ever been dreaming and your body senses a presence that causes you to wake up? I’m not sure if it was that, but my eyes opened immediately as I certainly felt someone else was in my room. It was only when I couldn’t move a muscle that I knew something was very wrong. I always kept a dagger on my nightstand, just in case someone was stupid enough to break into my house. Looks like I’d been caught out…

“It’s a unique poison, Ragnar. The effects will wear off soon enough,” a feminine voice said from nearby. I couldn’t move my head, but my eyes could move, and I noticed a woman sitting on a chair next to my bed. She was rather slim, her face covered, though I could see a pair of blue eyes, which even in my paralysed state, thought were gorgeous, and what I figured was blonde hair under her hood. Her voice, though. That was captivating. She had my complete attention, though I didn’t really have a choice in the matter for now.

“Well, Ragnar. Here we are. I’m sure you have plenty of questions. Did you get our letter?”

“Aye, I did. I guess I got lazy.”

“I waited until I knew you would relax before doing this. I figured sending that letter would put you on your guard, but considering our reputation at the moment, I assumed you would think we no longer existed. But, you see, there is a problem, Ragnar. Muiri performed the Black Sacrament. Word gets around, and she was looking for the Dark Brotherhood. For people such as myself, and my associates. Alain Dufont was, by all rights, our contract. Consider me intrigued, though. What of Nilsine Shatter-Shield?”

“Muiri asked me to do it as a favour. I willingly obliged.”

“I’ve watched her. You are intimate with her?” She laughed lightly to herself. “I’ve heard of stranger things, for a murderer to fall for the one asking for help.” She stopped laughing. “That was our contract, Ragnar. It was a kill you stole. And, therefore, a kill you must repay.”

I would have laughed if I didn’t think she could kill me. What she didn’t know is that I could feel my feet, and after the slightest wiggle of my toes, I knew I could move. So I would now allow her to get comfortable. I don’t like threats.

“You want me to kill someone else?”

“Yes. There is a boy in Windhelm attempting to contact the Dark Brotherhood. Word has been slow in reaching us, but I’ve overheard whispers around town in the past few days. I guess word travels fast across the rest of Skyrim. What you are to do is this. Travel to Windhelm. Meet this boy. I believe his name is Aretino. Take the contract and perform the kill.”

I didn’t reply, making do with a glare, as I knew the threat would come.

Instead, her eyes suggested she smiled behind the mask covering her face and nose. “Am I to take your silence as acceptance? Then you know where we stand. Make your kill, and we're square. And before you get any ideas about running to the authorities, you will be watched. We know where you live. We know where you work. And we know who you are currently fucking. Don’t make a decision you will come to regret.”

My glare turned to ice. There was the threat I’d been waiting for. I curled my hands into fists under the covers. She would have no idea the poison had worn off. I guess she underestimated my tolerance for whatever she used.

“Fine,” I stated.

“Very good. Now, you just lie there and go back to sleep. I’m sure you’ll wake up in the morning, thinking all of this is a dream.” She surprised me by getting up and walking towards me, totally overconfident in the poison she’d given me. Feeling her gloved hand stroke my cheek, she simply gazed into my eyes. “I can assure you, Ragnar, this is definitely not a dream. Be a good boy and do what I said.”

As I’ve said, I move fast for a big man, and I took delight in hearing her cry out when my arms shot out from under the cover to grab her. She weighed barely anything, or so it felt, as I dragged her onto the bed, hand to her throat, my other hand raised in a fist. I wasn’t going to hit her, but I could issue my own threats. Squeezing her throat, she choked out a plea.

“Wait!” she managed to wheeze.

“Who are you?” I shouted.

“You know who I am.”

“No, your name. I want to know who I’m going to kill in about five minutes.”

“Astrid. My name is Astrid.” Not releasing her throat, I tore at her mask and hood, and actually leaned back for a moment when her face and hair was revealed. Her face matched her voice. She was gorgeous. And she knew I thought that, the smile on her face telling me everything. “Not expecting this, were you?”

I squeezed a little harder. “I don’t like threats, Astrid. I obviously don’t know the ‘rules’. I merely did it as a favour for a woman I happen to like quite a lot.”

“Yet you appear to have quite an aptitude for murder, Ragnar. I’ve asked around. You’ve eliminated quite a few threats to you or people you know.” Her eyes moved down from my face down my body. Her eyes then widened. “So, you’re a killer, a murderer for want of a better word, but are you also a rapist?”

“No, but trust me on this, I’m considering crossing a second line right now.” I leaned down so my nose touched hers. “It’s taking all my self-control not to tear your clothes off and slide something hard in you…”

I thought the threat would invoke fear. Instead, she… smiled. She fucking smiled! I didn’t know whether to get angrier or start laughing. So I slid my hand down her body and under her skin tight trousers. The kinky bitch was already wet! I removed my hand and stuck two fingers in her mouth. “Getting off on this, are you?” I asked, left staggered when she sucked on my fingers instead of biting them.

"What can I say, I like the danger and a man who takes control. You remind me of my husband. All muscles and power.” I’d relaxed my hand around her throat so squeezed again. “Just like that,” she added, “This has been quite the introduction, Ragnar. But how receptive do you think I’ll be if you carry out your threat?”

“What about your threat?”

“Perform the kill, Ragnar, and you’ll find I’m a very grateful person.”

“What about your husband?”

She smiled. “That’s for another time. So what are you going to do now? You going to let me go… Or you want your way with me?” I released the tension in my hand slightly. “Want to slide off my pants and slip that big cock of yours inside me? Want me to fight you off as you do, or do you just want me to lie back and take it?”

“You’re serious?”

“We’ve both made some threats tonight and I’d say it’s rather tense in here. A good fuck will help relieve some of the stress.” I couldn’t help laugh. The whole situation was utterly ludicrous. Here was this woman, who broke into my house, poisoned me, ordered me to kill someone else and threatened retribution if I didn’t, I now have the upper hand and she was now willing to fuck me. I mean, I know I had a track record with some women, but this was nuts.

I released her throat and immediately grabbed the dagger from the night stand, sitting on my knees as she lay back, resting on her forearms. “I’m a bastard, and perhaps even a killer, but that’s a line I won’t cross, Astrid. I’m a lot of things, but that is a line too far.”

“Shame. That’s quite the gift you have, Ragnar. Maybe some other time?”

“You’re serious?” I asked again.

“My husband has a condition which means intimacy is a problem. It’s been a while since I’ve had something that large in me.” She paused before sighing, “And I can’t believe I just admitted that to a total stranger.” Then she met my eyes. “But I’ve watched you for at least the past week, Ragnar. What can I say, I like what I see. And those women you’re with certainly seem to like you a lot in return.”

“Look,” I said, gazing down her body, taking in her rather lithe figure, “I think it’s best if we just leave it here. I’m willing to let you leave unharmed.”

“And you’ll head to Windhelm?”

Sighing, I said, “Yes. I will attempt to contact whoever this Aretino person is and see what they want.”

She sat up on her knees in front of me, and I watched her as she replaced her hood and mask, just in case she got any funny ideas. But she didn’t, sliding off the bed and standing on the floor. She must have been no more than five-six at most. I stood up in front of her, enjoying the fact she had to look up at me. “My, my, you are the specimen, Ragnar. Sure you don’t want to take me?”

Feeling the tension disappear, I couldn’t help chuckle. “Part of me wants to tear your clothes off and do certain things to your body. But I think it’s best you just go now.”

“Now that’s just teasing. And it’s a waste of an erection.”

“It will go away once I try and go back to sleep.”

Walking her downstairs and to the front door, I did check her out as she walked in front of me. I have to say, her arse was fantastic, though maybe it was the skin-tight clothing that helped accentuate all of her curves. Opening the door, it was still the middle of the night, if not early morning. A faint mist had descended, so I figured she’d slip out of Riften unseen. “I have no idea what the Aretino boy wants, Ragnar. But when word gets to us of a murder, we’ll know it was you. When that happens, I’ll be back to discuss your future.”

“My future?”

“With our organisation, if you’re interested. As I said, you have an aptitude. But tell me this. When you killed Nilsine, how did you feel? How did it feel?”

“I felt nothing,” I admitted, “And I still feel nothing. Muiri asked me to do it so that’s what I did.”

“You did it for love?” I made a gesture with my hand to suggest it was possible. “What about for coin?”

“You mean become an assassin?”

“Exactly.”

I thought about it and eventually shrugged. “I’m already a thief and my soul is already damned. I’ve already killed plenty of times as a thief. What’s the difference, I suppose?”

She stepped towards me, running a hand down my bare chest before her gloved hand wrapped itself around my cock. “Do this for me, Ragnar, and I promise you the rewards will be… Well, let your imagination run wild,” she said softly.

“You really want to be fucked by me?” I asked, admittedly a little confused by her demeanour.

“Gods yes,” she exclaimed quietly. I couldn’t help chuckle at her tone, a slight hint of desperation. “As I said, I love my husband, but it’s been a long time because of what he is.” She shook her head before I could ask. “I’ll tell you all about it once you’ve done the job.” Removing her hand, she trailed it back up my chest towards my chin, tipping my head down. “Maybe when I return, you can fuck me then?”

“And your husband?”

“I will tell him, and he will understand.”

“He must be one hell of an understanding man.”

“Just like all the women you are with appear to be understanding.”

“Touché.”

“I’ll make sure I keep an ear out for news, Ragnar. If not, one of my people will tell me, and I’ll return.” And, with those words, she turned and disappeared into the mist. I closed the door and leaned back against it, running a hand down my face before bursting into laughter. “My life sometimes!” I exclaimed to no-one. Returning to bed, I was surprised at how quickly I managed to drift off.

Returning to the Flagon the next morning, I spoke only with Delvin and Karliah about the visit, and once I mentioned her name, Delvin was very interested in what I said. He appeared to know her, and the way he spoke about her, it suggested they were friends, and perhaps had even been intimate at one stage. I didn’t pry, but he was able to give me a bit more information about who I was dealing with.

“She runs the Brotherhood in Skyrim, Ragnar. You were visited by the boss. Considering all the other chapters around Tamriel have been eliminated, and the body of the Night Mother has been lost…”

“The Night who?”

He waved a dismissive hand. “It’s not important. But she leads the last agents of the Brotherhood. If the sanctuary in Skyrim was to fall, that would be it for the Dark Brotherhood.”

“And you’ve agreed to do this?” Karliah wondered.

“I think I have no choice, otherwise my life could be forfeit. The threat wasn’t exactly subtle. According to her, I stole the kill, therefore I owe them one. And, to be honest, I’ve done it once.” Shrugging, I added, “I guess I can do it again.”

“Just be careful, boss,” Delvin warned, “You’re dealing with a group that most people don’t know about, or if they do, then they certainly don’t talk about them. To perform the Black Sacrament… You don’t do such a thing lightly.”

“When will you leave?” Karliah asked.

“First thing tomorrow morning. The quicker I do it, the quicker I can move on. Though Astrid is of the opinion I could join them.”

“And will you?”

I met Karliah’s eyes. “To be honest, I’m not sure. I’ve done it once. I’m going to do it again. What do you think?”

“It’s your life, Ragnar. You answer to no-one but yourself.”

Haelga came around that night, and she noticed within a few minutes I was distracted as we sat down for dinner. She asked what was wrong, but I knew I couldn’t openly admit what I was doing to her, nor to Ingun. I didn’t like lying… Well, that’s a lie there. I didn’t like lying to the women in my life. But I couldn’t be honest about what I was going to do.

“Nothing. Just work things. You know how it is.”

I don’t think she believed me, but she never asked too many details about what I did regarding work. I’d kept my word about ensuring we left Riften alone, but the rest of Skyrim was fair game. I never gave her stolen goods, except for one or two dresses, and some lingerie. She knew I could afford jewellery purchased through legal means, but she would always have doubts, so for the moment, I gave her other things.

Realising I was distracted, we avoided the Dibellan room that night, instead just heading for my bedroom. Once I had her naked, all other thoughts disappeared, and my sole focus was bringing her as much pleasure as possible, spending an inordinate amount of time with my head between her legs. She never complained, knowing how much I loved doing it with her, though eventually I needed to stop, usually for two reasons. One, my jaw does start to hurt. And, two, I really want to fuck her.

I did fuck her, and with my mind now fully focused on her, she got what she wanted. Fast and hard as possible, the headboard smacking against the wall. I did amuse myself afterwards, wondering what Aranea thought, particularly as Haelga was not quiet, and her language was utterly filthy. Eventually on her hands and knees with a handful of her hair, I pounded her relentlessly until I couldn’t take anymore, cumming hard and collapsing on top of her. Lying on her back, I could feel both of us covered in sweat, breathing deeply as we recovered.

“Well, that’s cleared the mind,” I said.

“Just needed some Haelga time,” she said with a light laugh. Sitting up, she managed to turn around onto her back and dragged me back down so I could kiss her, and I was still rather hard, so slid my cock back inside her, watching her face as I did. “Ah, the wonders of a young man.”

Feeling her legs wrap around me, the second time was far gentler, Haelga wrapping her arms around me and simply gazing into my eyes, that slight smile I was used to seeing when we made love in such a manner. Neither of us had another orgasm, eventually just stopping when we’d had enough, turning onto our sides so she could cuddle into me.

We woke early the next morning, as I wanted to leave as soon as possible. She knew I was leaving Riften, and I assured her that I would be absolutely fine. Naturally, she worried about me regardless, but I’d been through worse things in my life, but she still walked me to the stables so she could see me off. Because I hadn’t told her exactly what I was doing, she hugged me tighter and longer than usual, repeating that I should be careful. I assured her again that I would be absolutely fine, and would hopefully be home sooner than I planned. With a final kiss, I mounted my horse and, after waving farewell, turned my horse onto the road north.

Apart from passing a couple of Stormcloak patrols, which did their best to keep the roads safe, my journey to Windhelm was generally uninterrupted, making it by the time the sun was apparently going down, as the weather as far north as Windhelm was always bound to be changeable. It wasn’t snowing by the time I arrived, but the clouds were low, dark, and rather threatening, and I assumed ready to dump a lot of snow either overnight or the next day. After stabling my horse, I headed straight into the city and the Candlehearth Inn, booking a room for the night and sitting with the regular as I ate dinner and enjoyed a couple of tankards.

Finding the Aretino residence wasn’t particularly difficult, as I just asked where it was. The man I asked whispered that he’d heard rumours about what the boy had done. I had to prevent myself blurting out that’s precisely why I was looking for it. The door was locked, so after a quick look around, picking it wasn’t particularly difficult, and I entered find a place that looked mostly abandoned. Walking up the stairs, there were signs of at least some life, as candles were lit and still burning.

I had expected an adult. I did not expect a kid not older than… maybe ten years old. He hadn’t heard my approach, as he was in a small alcove, and thought I’d never seen it performed, it was definitely the Black Sacrament.

“Sweet mother, sweet mother, send your child unto me, for the sins of the unworthy must be baptised in blood and fear.”

I cleared my throat, and I swear the kid near shit himself as he slowly turned to look at me. Dressed in my Nightingale armour for anonymity, I would have looked rather sinister. Getting to his feet, his fear quickly turned to pleasure.

“You've come at last! I knew you would!” I remained silent, wondering what he would say. “It worked! I knew you'd come, I just knew it! I did the Black Sacrament, over and over! With the body, and the... things. And then you came! An assassin from the Dark Brotherhood!” Remaining silent, he continued on after a few seconds. “You don't have to say anything. There's no need. You're here, so I know you'll accept my contract.”

“Yes, I will. Who is the target?”

“My mother, she... she died. I... I'm all alone now. So they sent me to that terrible orphanage in Riften. Honorhall. The headmistress is an evil, cruel woman. They call her Grelod the Kind.”

I knew that name! Memories long repressed burst forth in my mind. “I’m sorry, but did you say Grelod?”

“Yes, do you know her?”

“I do. I know her rather well.” A name from the past. An orphanage long ago. In the Imperial City. Where I grew up. And now she was in Riften? The Eight must favour me. Or maybe it was Nocturnal rewarding me for returning the Skeleton Key? Whatever the case, this contract just got rather personal. “Tell me more, young man,” I requested kindly.

“Everyone calls her Grelod the Kind, though that’s because she forces us to. But he's not kind. She's terrible. To all of us. So I ran away, and came home. And performed the Black Sacrament. Now you're here! And you can kill Grelod the Kind!”

“Any other targets?”

“No! And please don't kill Constance Michel! She really is kind, and once Grelod is dead, she can take over. The kids really like her.”

“Anything else? What about payment?”

“I have a family heirloom you can have. Supposed to be sort of valuable. I hope that's all right.”

“It will do.” And, if not, I’ll just go robbing around Windhelm when I returned with the good news. “I will return when it is done. Just so you know, boy, you have drawn attention to yourself. I would suggest you stay out of sight until then.”

“Yes, of course. Just, return as quick as you can. To be honest, I'm kind of lonely here. As much as I hated getting sent to Honorhall, I really miss my friends there...”

Walking out of his house, I didn’t like the idea of completing the contract in the very city I lived, but it was a chance I’d have to take. As it had barely taken a few minutes to gain the information required, I headed out to the stables and rode straight back to Riften. Arriving after sundown, I slipped into the city without being noticed, and would attempt to stay unseen during my time. I already had a plan in mind. Visit Honorhall the next day to learn what I could, which to be honest, all I needed to do was see her. She wouldn’t recognise me, so I’d go with the story of looking at adoption. Then I’d return at night to finish the job.

I didn’t try disguising myself or anything the next day, leaving the house after I guessed everyone would at least be at work and not walking along the streets. Walking into Honorhall, the first thing I noticed was the lack of… The place just felt cold. Nothing adorned the walls to suggest children lived in the building. Another reminder of long ago…

Finding myself approached by a rather friendly young woman, deducing she was Constance, from what the Aretino child had told me, I was ready to ask a question when a voice took my attention. Walking further inside, I stood at the doorway to an enormous bedroom, a row of beds to either side, with children standing by them.

“Those who shirk their duties will get an extra beating. Do I make myself clear?”

The bitch hadn’t changed in all these years. I remember those beatings, and I remembered scrubbing those pots until my fingers were bleeding, but it still wasn’t good enough. “Yes, Grelod,” the children replied in unison. I can admit I’m a fairly hard-hearted man, but the tone in their little voices was heart-breaking. Constance stood next to me and I exchanged a glance with her. She looked miserable too.

“And one more thing! I will hear no more talk of adoptions! None of you riff-raff is getting adopted. Ever! Nobody needs you, nobody wants you. That, my darlings, is why you're here. Why you will always be here, until the day you come of age and get thrown into that wide, horrible world. Now, what do you all say?”

By the Eight, the desire to stride in there with sword unsheathed, and to take her head… I had to take a couple of deep breaths to calm down. “Is she always like this?” I asked through gritted teeth.

“This is a good day,” Constance replied quietly, and rather sarcastically, before asking hopefully, “Are you looking to adopt?”

“Considering it. I was hoping to speak to Grelod, as I was told she was the headmistress here. But after this little performance, perhaps not.” I felt a hand on my forearm and she led me into another room, closing the door so we had privacy, gesturing to a small table and two chairs. “Do you like working here, Miss…?”

“Constance. My name is Constance.” She would survive this. I figured I was a fairly good judge of character. She was… nice. If I’d had someone like her at the orphanage all those years ago, I might not have left. “Are you married… I don’t recall your name?”

“Erik. From Morthal. And no, I’m not. Though I have a woman I intend on eventually marrying. This is just an introductory meeting. She will make the journey with me next time.”

“Would you like to meet the children?”

“Yes, I would.”

Despite their circumstances, the eight of them appeared rather happy, although I have a feeling it was for appearances sake. Can’t have a bunch of miserable children on display when no doubt Grelod wanted all of them gone. I was introduced to them and told each of their names. I could hear the hope in their voices that I would choose them to take with me. While I might not adopt them, killing Grelod would certainly be doing them a favour, particularly if Constance was left in charge. As for Grelod, I didn’t see her again, assuming she was in her own quarters. That suited me just fine.

Thanking Constance for taking the time to speak to me, I headed home and prepared body and mind for what I was to do that evening. I would wear my Nightingale armour, and would leave my house at the darkest time of night, sticking to the shows. Breaking the lock into Honorhall wouldn’t be too difficult. The children and Constance would be safe. As for Grelod…

I had a meal and a nap earlier than normal, waking when the sky was dark. After dressing and preparing everything I would need for the job, I sat on my porch in the darkness, pleased to see it was a cloudy night, which would help me even more. The few torches lit around town barely provided any light, and from the silence around the city, I guessed it was rather late in the evening, if not early the next morning.

Figuring I had to make a move, I took the long way around to Honorhall. Making sure there was no-one watching, picking the lock was quite simple. Once inside, I let my eyes adjust naturally to the gloom, sneaking forward and checking Constance. She was dead to the world, so I closed her door and hoped she wouldn’t hear anything. The children were all fast asleep too, but they would wake easier, so I would have to keep this quiet.

Grelod was fast asleep and didn’t hear me enter. Stuffing a thick sock in her mouth, making sure she couldn’t spit it out, I took a few moments, using a couple of leather strips to bind her wrists to the headboard so she couldn’t move. Making sure the door was closed, I lit a candle so I could see her face, and the look of unbridled hatred in her eyes pleased me, as I remembered those cruel eyes very well. Grabbing the chair from her desk, I sat next to her bed, looking at her dispassionately for a couple of minutes.

“You haven’t changed one bit, Grelod. You’re still a bitch.” She tried to say something though it was muffled, and I leaned forward to hold the sock in place until she calmed. “I doubt you remember me, but I definitely remember you. The orphanage in the Imperial City. I spent near ten years there until I ran away.” The eyes changed from hatred to confusion, as no doubt she was trying to figure out who I was. “I could give you my name, but what’s the point? You should know why I’m here.”

Unsheathing the dagger, I laid it on the bed next to her body. “This blade is going to slice your throat in a few minutes, and I will happily sit here and watch you bleed out and die. Then I will return home and sleep like the dead. But before that happens, let me tell you a story.

It is the story of a young boy who grew up in an orphanage. Abandoned by his parents, all he wanted was a little love and affection as he grew up. Instead, he is beaten, almost tortured at times, locked away in small rooms, punished harshly for the smallest of infractions. He remembers the bruises and the blood. The fact no-one cared. And all the kids suffered. I remember them all too.

So that young boy ran away at around ten years old and spent the next six or so on the streets. He found a calling. He became a pickpocket. A thief. Eventually started working for the Thieves Guild. That’s what your treatment of him did. Turned him into a criminal. And, let me tell you something, he was a damned good thief. Or, at least he was until a particular job…

I found a second calling as a warrior. Despite being abandoned, my parents, whoever they were, gave me some good traits. Tall. Broad. And there’s no doubt I have a natural strength many men pray for. After training, I’ve proven to be a natural warrior. And after finding the pleasure of the flesh, I’ve had success with the ladies too. Of course, I got greedy, it blew up in my face, and I ended up here in Skyrim.

Then I find work with the Thieves Guild here. Sort out all their problems, rise to become the Guild Master after the betrayal of the previous one. I’ve made plenty of coin. Made some good friends. Even own my house now. And I’ll admit it again, I’m a damned good thief. Better than what I was.

Then a young woman I met asked me for a favour. We share affection for each other. We might even love each other. And she asked me to kill for her. She asked me to kill a former lover. That wasn’t a problem. But she also asked me to kill a former friend, someone who betrayed her. I agreed with barely any hesitation. And I did the job. I did it well. I know they’re still on the hunt for her murderer.

But the young woman had performed the Black Sacrament, and word got back to the Dark Brotherhood. They found out I took the contract, and demanded I pay them back. And what do you know, a young boy who once lived here performed the Black Sacrament, and I bet you’re lying there wondering who he could possibly have demanded I kill?”

I picked up the dagger and bopped her on the nose with it. “You, Grelod. A young boy, no older than ten years old, the very same age I ran away all those years ago, performed the Black Sacrament because he wants you dead. How fucked up is that? How awful must his life have been here to have performed such a ritual? And, surprise, surprise, you are still one awful goddamn bitch. Just hearing your voice again after all these years made me want to cross the floor and punch in your teeth.

I was in here earlier. You probably didn’t notice me. You’re still as horrible as you were all those years ago. I’ll be doing these kids a fucking favour by releasing them from the likes of yourself. Now I could sit here, and wonder what you could possibly have to say, but to be honest, I don’t want to hear a word. You’ll try and justify yourself, or you’ll just say something cuntish, to try and piss me off. I doubt you’ll plead for your life. I reckon you’ve been expecting something like this for years.” 

I stood up, looming over her, so she could meet my eyes. No fear. Only hate. That’s all she was. A human vessel of hate. “Oblivion take your very soul, Grelod.”

I slit her throat and watched the life slowly dim from her eyes.  Once she was dead, I took the binds off her wrists and the sock out of her mouth. Ensuring there was no sign that I’d ever been in the room, I placed the chair where it had been, extinguished the candle, and got the hell out of there as quickly as possible. Once back home, I undressed and was amazed again at the lack of any real feeling. In fact, I had a slight feeling of elation that I’d killed her. It wasn’t particularly revenge. I hadn’t wanted to kill her all those years ago, but at least the children would no longer suffer with her in charge.

Leaving at dawn for Windhelm the next day, the Aretino lad was delighted to hear the news, and after giving the heirloom, I suggested he should take a carriage and return to Honorhall, so at least he had someone to look after him. He agreed, though I turned down the question of me taking him. I didn’t particularly want to return to Riften with him. That would lead to questions.

Back in Riften the next evening, I wandered into the Bee and Brab and the only story on everyone’s lips was the murder of Grelod the Kind. There were mixed feelings, depending on who you spoke to. Some figured the kids were better off. Others were shocked that the headmistress of an orphanage could be murdered. There were enough rumours around to suggest no real surprise that Grelod had actually been killed though, most people figuring an orphan would definitely have had an axe to grind. In that regard, they were absolutely right.

My closest friends in the Thieves Guild could put two and two together. Delvin actually found it rather amusing, and wasn’t surprised that someone had asked for her to be killed. Brynjolf only worried about any comeback on me. I assured him that no-one saw me enter or leave, and the crime scene was clean except for the body. Vex hadn’t believed me capable of such an act, and I think was actually impressed. Karliah was… I don’t think disappointed would be the right word. She understood I had to do it, lest something happen to me, so I had a private conversation and told her everything, basically repeating the story I’d told Grelod. Karliah then understood completely, letting me know she was okay with it.

It took a week for Astrid to make her appearance. I knew she would be coming, and I wasn’t concerned at all. I didn’t think she’d come to kill me. That didn’t stop her from poisoning me again, though this time when I woke up, the covers had been pulled down and, though still dressed, she was straddling me. Her hood and mask were missing this time so I could see her face.

“Well, you sure work fast, Ragnar.”

“It was easy in the end.”

“How did it feel?”

“I knew Grelod, from long ago. It felt righteous.”

“Would you be willing to kill again?”

Shrugging, I said, “The only thing is that it would depend on the target. I would have rules, much like I have rules regarding who we do and do not rob in the Guild.”

“I’ll tell you more in the morning.”

I felt the smile form, so figured I wasn’t paralysed all over, or I wasn’t at all. “Oh, and where will you be staying?”

She started to unbutton her top, freeing a pair of small, perky breasts, noticing a few noticeable scars on her stomach. She turned so I could see her back, noticing a few more there. “Hazards of the job,” she said. Removing her boots, she then removed her trousers, leaving her naked on top of me, noticing a thick patch of blonde hair above her sex. I knew I wasn’t paralysed as I felt my cock thicken quickly, and she felt it against her.

The surprise was when she leaned down to kiss me, and I know I surprised her in return when I placed my hands on her back. “Underestimated again,” she muttered, before resuming our kiss. I could feel her get wet as she slid her pussy along my shaft, earning a cry of surprise when I rolled her over onto her back. “Are you going to keep your promise, Ragnar?”

“What promise is that?”

“Well, I distinctly remember you saying you wanted to fuck me last time I was here. And I remember admitting that I wanted to be fucked. So, are we going to fuck?”

I slid my cock inside her without further hesitation, all the way in until she had my entire length. It earned the usual smile of pleasure, and I wasted no time pumping away into her. She spread her legs and placed her feet around me, urging me on to fuck her hard. Gods, she was hot, wet and tight. She must have arrived eager for it. Leaning down to kiss her again, I felt her hands run through my hair before breaking the kiss. “Do you know how long it’s been? Years.”

“Tell me after I’ve cum. Not now.”

I rolled onto my back, taking her with me, allowing her the pleasure of riding my cock. It did the job, as with a little assistance of my thumb on her clit, she came hard quite quickly. It must have been a good one, as the look on her face was absolute bliss. Grabbing onto her hips, I fucked her hard for another couple of minutes before I blasted inside her. The groan of relief I made probably woke half of Riften.

Resting on my chest, I was still rock hard inside her. Not a real surprise. There’s no doubting that, despite our introduction, I was attracted to her. And after seeing her naked, that only increased. We lay together for a few minutes like that before she got off me and got on all fours. “Like this, Ragnar. Just fuck me hard again.”

Getting into a certain position behind her, I gave her what she wanted, feeling her cry out as I slammed my cock into her. I’m not sure what she got out of it, but the noise suggested she was enjoying her, forcing her arse further up as I leaned down, my mouth near her ear. “You like what I’m doing?” I wondered.

“Fuck yes. My pussy has been empty for so long.”

“Someone like you shouldn’t be left empty at all, Astrid.”

“Is that a compliment in the middle of fucking me, Ragnar?”

“Definitely.”

“Well, if we’re doing that, your cock is magnificent.”

“And it definitely likes you in return.”

It took me a long time to cum again, and by that stage, I had Astrid on her back again, her legs pushed wide and back, completely exposing her. I was tempted at once stage to shove it in her arse, but I figured she might be up for that later anyway. But she urged me on, a real reminder of Haelga in that she just wanted to be completely fucked. I could only last so long, and after my second climax, at which I near collapsed on her, my cock did cry enough.

Lying on my back afterwards, I found it surprising that she turned onto her side and cuddled into me, running a hand up and down my chest, until she had to straddle me again. “I won’t get hard again for a while.”

“I just wanted to lie like this,” she said quietly, resting on her forearms so she could see my face, “As I said, it’s been a long time.”

“Why? How could someone not be fucking you constantly?”

She blushed. I didn’t think it was much of a compliment, but she seemed to like it. “My husband… I love him dearly, but he has a… let’s call it a disease. Unfortunately, since the day he was infected, we have been unable to be intimate.”

“What sort of disease?”

“He’s a werewolf. I don’t know much about it, but the strain he has means he cannot control his changes. And, unfortunately, he cannot make love to his wife without changing. It was only after the third time he nearly killed me that we agreed that part of our life simply couldn’t continue.”

“How long since you were last intimate?”

“Six years, five months and thirteen days.” I couldn’t help chuckle at the fact she knew exactly. “I know he is frustrated too, but unless he is cured, that facet of his life is over. Unfortunately for me, he does not want a cure. He believes being a werewolf helps him. So while we love each other, and choose to remain married, I am… not satisfied.”

“But he knows you are here?”

“Yes. I said if he was not willing to find a cure, then I needed a release, as frankly, masturbation and toys are not fulfilling. I need to feel a real cock inside me. I need to feel a man inside me, on top of me, behind me, or me on top of him. I need to feel him cum inside me. I need him to make me cum too. My fingers don’t do that, nor do other phallic objects I might use.”

“What did he say?”

“He understands, though he is not happy. But that is on him. I have waited all this time and he has never changed his mind. Then again, you are the first man I have been intimate with in all that time.”

“I’m honoured.”

“Seeing your body and what’s between your legs made my mind up for me. Plus… Well, when you are on top of me last time, with the threat of what you could do… I’ll admit it, you turned me the fuck on, Ragnar. That’s why I was so wet. I wanted you to do it to me.”

“Really?”

“Oh, I’d have fought, but it would have been half-hearted at best. I’d have eventually quite happily ridden you to one climax after another.” I couldn’t help chuckle at her confession. “Well, the wait for worth it.”

“And you will be here in the morning?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

She eventually lay next to me, spooning herself against me. Her body was athletic but also soft at the same time, and she was very complimentary about my arms as I held her. A quiet voice was saying ‘This is another man’s wife’. Another louder voice was saying ‘You’ve just had one of the best fucks of your life’. “Would you like to do this again, Ragnar?”

“Definitely.”

“We’ll talk more in the morning then. Maybe after we make love?”

“Ah, so you’d like it different.”

“Would you?”

“Why not now?”

So that’s what we did. Orgasms were a mere afterthought as we kissed, cuddled and made love until we were simply too tired to go on. Then she spooned against me again, wiggling her butt into my crotch until she was comfortable, holding my hands in hers, her head nestled under my chin. “Well, I could get used to this,” she whispered, “Though I’d better not. I don’t think my husband would like that.”

Waking the next morning, we dressed and enjoyed breakfast together. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel awkward at all, and she sat near me with a smile on her face all morning, so I guess she was absolutely fine as well. We chatted about nothing in particular, suggesting I would stay in Riften for the time being and just continue to do what I do.

Escorting her outside, she wore a coat to cover her Brotherhood armour. A carriage was waiting there, and after asking the driver for transport, he would take her as far as Falkreath. I didn’t know exactly where the Sanctuary was, and I asked her not to tell me yet, as I wasn’t sure I would join them.

“You will think about it?” she asked, near pleaded.

“I will, but it’s a step in a direction I’m not entirely comfortable with yet. There is one thing that might convince me.”

“And that is?”

“You.”

“How do…” She stopped and smiled, knowing what I meant. “Ah, I guess I’ve made quite the impression then.”

“You have. Unfortunately, I only see heartbreak in the end for both of us if we go down this road. Part of me wants to. Part of me wants to take you back to my house and do what we did last night again. The other part knows you have a husband waiting for you. And the voice in my head tells me that I’m a bastard. I’m already enough of a bastard, but adding a married woman to the list of women I’m bedding is too much of a reminder of why I’m here in the first place.”

She nodded in understanding before I leaned down to kiss her. It was a hell of a kiss, wrapping my arms around her and pulled her close, her hand running around the back of my head, her tongue doing rather naughty things that made me growl into her mouth in return. Breaking the kiss, she had a look in her eyes that suggested she wanted to stay. “You should go,” I said quietly.

“I will return if I don’t see you soon, Ragnar.”

“Part of me hopes you do.” I took a couple of steps back. “For now, though, this is for the best.”

She climbed up onto the carriage, speaking quietly to the driver. He nodded and quickly prepared to leave. With a crack of the whip, the horses started to walk forward and I walked alongside the carriage until it turned onto the road. She didn’t call anything out as it moved away, nor did I. I raised a hand in farewell, and she responded in kind. I stayed there until the carriage disappeared down the hill and out of sight. Only then did I turn and walk back into Riften.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fifteen chapters in. Hope you're still enjoying it.


	16. Muiri

Every day that passed since Astrid departed, I would find myself thinking long and hard about whether I would make that leap. Sure, I’d killed plenty of people before, when working for the Fighter’s Guild, and when working for the Thieves Guild, but I could justify in my mind that those deaths were necessary. Most of the time, I was defending myself. 

But I had murdered two people. I didn’t count Alain. He was a bandit and deserved what he got, just like Mercer Frey. Nilsine, though. Despite what she did to Muiri, she was still an innocent. And despite Grelod being who she was, she was technically an innocent. They were defenceless when I killed them. 

It was two cases of clear cut murder.

“Something on your mind, boss?” Brynjolf asked me about a week after Astrid’s visit, sharing a tankard with he and Delvin.

“Aye. An offer Astrid made last week.”

“You saw her again?” Delvin asked, and I near enough laughed at his surprised tone.

“Yes, she stayed the night.”

The look on both their faces was absolutely priceless. Brynjolf just started to laugh. I eventually reached across the table to shut Delvin’s jaw. “She’s a married woman, boss. Isn’t that the reason why you left Cyrodiil?”

“She told me she was married. She told me about her husband. And she told me she hadn’t been intimate with him in years.”

“Why not?” Brynjolf wondered.

“Not my place to say. But there’s a good and valid reason why she stayed with me. And as for what’s on my mind, she made me an offer to work for her.”

“As an assassin?”

“Aye.”

“That’s quite the leap from being a thief, lad,” Brynjolf stated, “I know we’ve taken lives. You killed Mercer Frey. But there’s a difference between the killing we have done to rebuild the Guild, and the killing one would do on behalf of the Brotherhood. Are you sure you can deal with that?”

“I’ll be honest. Killing Alain wasn’t a problem, not after what he did to Muiri. And Grelod was rather personal, it just happened that the young lad giving me the contract didn’t like her either. No, it was the third kill, Nilsine, that suggested… I’m not sure, but maybe I’m suited to it?”

“No guilt?” Delvin wondered.

“Haven’t felt any yet. As far as I’m concerned, two of the three deaths were deserved. But Muiri wanted Nilsine dead…”

The two shared a knowing glance. “Like her, eh?”

“Yes, Bryn. I have a lot of affection for her. And that is returned, which is why she’s now in Riften. But as for Astrid and her offer, part of me thinks I should give it a go. The Guild is running smoothly. Do you need my presence here every day? Quite frankly, it will run smoothly as long as you or Karliah are here. I’ll pop in every now and then, and if anything goes drastically wrong, then contact me.”

“You’ll stay in Riften?”

“Of course. I have no reason to move.”

“Astrid would rather you stayed at the Sanctuary,” Devlin stated.

“That’s not happening. I’ve made a home for myself here, plus my friends are here too. Those I sleep with, and those I don’t. I’m not dropping it all for her offer just yet.”

“Whatever you decide, tread carefully, boss. Joining the Brotherhood is not a decision taken lightly,” Delvin warned. I would heed that warning before making a decision.

Instead of making a decision too soon, in addition to continuing our research into Daedric artefacts, Muiri asked if I would escort her around the lake, as she wanted to gather fresh supplies for her apothecary. She had proven to be a rather adept alchemist already. I was happy to do so, and asked how long we would be gone. She suggested more than a couple of nights, so I bought some food supplies, and as I already had camping equipment, we looked over a map and decided on a route. We would take the south gate and follow the shore of Lake Honrich, where we would eventually cross to the north side over the Treva River, and return to Riften via the northern shore. We could probably do all that in one night, but Muiri wanted a few days away, for two reasons. One, because she legitimately wanted supplies, and would spend plenty of times looking for some rare ingredients. And, two, she wanted time alone with me. I would have happily joined her for the first reason alone, but the second was an even better reason.

We left a rather crisp but sunny Middas morning. I carried all the camping supplies along with my weapons, Muiri carried a small backpack with a change of clothes and space for her ingredients. I managed to leave a hand free, and we walked along hand in hand for a while, following the road south. Walking at no more than a stroll, she would stop every so often as something caught her eye. She would occasionally pick something and place it in her backpack. Others she would leave alone.

“Anything in particular you are looking for?”

“Not really. There are certain things that simply won’t grow around here. It’s just a matter of keeping an eye out.”

“What sort of potions are you planning on brewing?”

“I usually brew potions to help people. I generally try and avoid poisons. Particularly now, after everything that’s happened.”

I grabbed her hand and squeezed. “You did nothing wrong. Are you feeling guilty?”

“Not at all. But it still weighs heavy on the conscience.”

I stopped us and immediately moved a hand to her face, caressing her cheek, earning one of those sweet smiles. “Anything I can do to help?”

“Stay with me. That’s all I want. You’re the man who helped me when no-one else could or would. I’ll always love you for that.” I couldn’t help smile, as although she’d mentioned love before, that was the first time she’d properly said it. “Do you feel the same way about me, Ragnar?”

“By the Eight, yes!” I leaned down to kiss her, though with all the supplies I was carrying, it was a little awkward.

We carried on walking, Muiri with a smile on her face nearly the entire time, happily humming to herself when she went off to pick her flowers or other things. If there was a rock or boulder, I could at least take a seat and drop our supplies for a moment. She knew I was watching her at times. She was a petite little thing, or at least she was compared to myself. Each time she was happy with gathering what she wanted, she’d wander over to where I was waiting, give me a kiss, then take my hand to move us on.

I knew we would be longer than I expected when we camped that night, and I knew from the map that we hadn’t covered all that much ground. I certainly wasn’t going to complain, and I knew Muiri definitely wasn’t. She never complained about the arrangement, but I knew more than any of the women I was with, she was desperate to have me all to herself. Part of the reason why I easily agreed to go with her now.

Sitting side by side on a log after we’d eaten dinner, I had an arm around her waist as she leaned into me, one of her hands on my chest. “Thank you for helping me.”

“Not required, Muiri.”

“I know, but I’ll thank you each day we’re away. I know you have…”

I gave her a squeeze, stopping the sentence. “I had nothing else planned, and I would have cancelled any plans I did have otherwise.”

“I’m going to ensure I go even slower tomorrow,” she said with a giggle.

“And I won’t complain one little bit.” 

Naked under the furs later, we made love. As I’ve said previously, I knew I would never ‘fuck’ Muiri, unless that’s what she asked for. Resting on my forearms, my thrusts inside her were slow, just hard enough to provoke a smile and hit the right spots inside her. Her legs were wrapped around me, lifting herself up so the angle I was inside her definitely felt good for her. Our mouths barely parted, her fingers digging into my back as I slowly thrust into her.

“I love you,” she whispered, “Gods, I love you, Ragnar.”

I couldn’t help smile at her in the light of the fire, watching her smile in return. “And I love you, Muiri.”

She kissed me hard, the sort of kiss that conveyed far more feelings than words ever could. This was a woman who was now nothing more than devoted to me. If I’d asked her to marry me then and there, there was no doubt to her saying yes. Part of me was even ready to ask. Instead, I focused on ensuring she climaxed with me. Somehow, it worked, as she cried out as I came inside her. It was only once she’d come down from the high that she blinked rapidly, our kisses barely slowing nor lacking in passion despite our joint climax. When I made to move to lie beside her, she asked me to stay in place. “I love it when you’re inside me,” she admitted quietly. She wiggled underneath me, gasping as my still rather hard cock must have hit a good spot.

Wrapping an arm around the back of her neck, I relaxed above her, just gazing at her in the low light. She knew why I was looking, and there’s no doubt she blushed slightly. I had a conundrum, as I now felt torn between her and Haelga. I liked Ingun, and adored Karliah, but it was Haelga and Muiri who I loved above all. And I wondered if I was eventually going to have to make a decision. And I figured it would be the woman I was currently with who might ask me to make that choice.

Lying next to her later, her petite body spooned against my larger one, even her hands being much smaller than my own, she sighed with contentment, constantly snuggling backwards, complimenting me on my body warmth. “I’ll admit something, Muiri. You’re the first Breton I’ve ever been with.”

“Really?” I made a sound of agreement. “And what do you think of us?”

“Well, if they’re all like you…”

She laughed lightly. “Well, we are generally smaller than you Nords. Then again, you’re a specimen all on your own, Ragnar.” She turned around to face me, running a hand down my cheek, over my shoulder and down my arm. “I’m a very lucky woman to have someone like you lying against me.”

“How do you think I feel, having a sweet little thing like you with me? Then again, I think you’re practically perfect.”

“You don’t have to keep sweet talking me, Ragnar, though I will always take your compliments.”

“I’m always honest. Well, with the women I’m intimate with anyway.” I pulled her closer so our faces were barely an inch or so apart on the pillow. “Even your facial markings are pretty. They make your eyes stunning.” All she did was snuggle into me, wrapping her arm around my side. “I’m not a good man, Muiri. I can admit that. I’ve done a lot of things I should regret, or that I should at least feel bad about, or definitely feel guilty. Yet, I feel none of those things. I do what needs to be done.”

“And me in all that?”

“I can give thanks to the Eight for your arrival in my life.”

She kissed me for that one, her mouth opening immediately, turning into the sort of kiss that would always make me rise for the occasion. She rolled me on top of her again, and finding her entrance was easy, watching her face as I slid inside her again. She wasted no time wrapping her arms and legs around me, holding her tight to her body. “I think the same thing,” she breathed into my ear.

I changed our position quickly, rolling her so she was on top. She didn’t lean back, resting her hands on my shoulders as I position my legs so it was easy for her to ride me, still leaning down to kiss me. Thrusting up into her, the angle definitely made her feel good, watching the smile her face slowly widen, her eyes closed and a simple look of pleasure across her face. “Gods,” she said quietly.

“Good?”

“I don’t want to stop.”

“Then don’t. We have all night. And tomorrow. And the day after. I’m in no rush to return to Riften.”

She rode me for a long time, and when her orgasm came, it was a big one, a cry of her love for me, following by some tears. I just held her body tight to mine as she recovered, and it was no surprise to me when she started again once she felt okay to do so.

And that was how the next few days and nights went. We would wander along without any care in the world, Muiri stopping every so often to pick some plants or what looked like fungi, then we would make camp for the evening by the water, eat a little dinner, then we would make love. We didn’t experiment all that much, but I wasn’t worried about that. It was the act that itself that meant everything between us. There’s no doubt we were both falling for each other hard. I could tell by the way she’d look at me when I woke up in the morning and the near constant smile on her face.

Being by the lake, we would also stop occasionally for a swim. With no-one around, we could happily strip off our clothes and head into the water. It was warmer than I figured it would be, though cold enough for Muiri to say it was rather cold, enough that she’d generally swim to hug me, feeling her very hard nipples brush against my chest. We didn’t do anything more than swim and cuddle while swimming, but after the first time, we eventually did it at least once each day. It was an excuse to see each other naked in the daylight.

It was four days by the time we crossed the river to head back along the northern shore. I sensed Muiri was now really taking her time, stopping constantly for any little thing she could see. I joked about her delaying our return to Riften for as long as possible, but assured her at the same time that I didn’t care at all. “There are some hot springs to the north of here, in Eastmarch. We should head there one day soon. I’m sure there are plenty of different plants and whatnot up that way which you won’t find around here, plus we could relax in one of the pools each day.”

“Is it safe?”

“I’ve walked or ridden by them a few times on my way to and from Windhelm. I see plenty of people camping. We’d just have to find a little spring for ourselves.”

“Are you getting ideas, Ragnar?”

“Maybe.”

“I love it when you get ideas like what I know you’re thinking.”

“So you want to do it?”

“Tell me when and I’ll be with you.”

We were away from Riften for longer than a week in the end, our return journey taking even longer, as we deviated inland as Muiri was sure she would find even better flora further from the lake. It wasn’t a bad idea, and it was a good excuse for me to unleash a few arrows, eventually taking down a big elk. Taking some meat, and also hide and its horns, it certainly fed us well that evening.

Our last night together was barely a couple of miles away from Riften. We could have easily made it on that day, but Muiri led me inland again, so that by the time we returned to the shore, the sun was setting, so I happily agreed to one last night in camp. I managed to catch a mudcrab for dinner that night, and Muiri helped me turn it into a rather tasty stew. I surprised her further by unveiling a bottle of wine I’d kept for such an occasion. Sitting on a log by the fire, we ate dinner and shared the bottle of wine, chatting away about our hopes and dreams. To be honest, neither of us hoped or dreamt of too much. Simply to a happy, and if possible, a longer life than average.

“What about children?” I asked.

“Not before I’m married.”

“But you want one or some?”

“Yes. Eventually. But only after I’m married.” I heard the hint. It wasn’t subtle. The only way she could have been more obvious is if she’d held a sign over her head saying ‘Marry me, stupid’. “What about you, Ragnar?”

“I’ll be honest, I’m not sure. Doing what I do isn’t the greatest example. Then there is my love life in general, as you know.”

I felt her glance my way. “Will you want to settle down eventually?”

I returned her glance. “Yes. Eventually.”

“But not now?”

“I’m enjoying my life at the moment, Muiri. I like what I do. And I have a few women I adore, even love.” I turned slightly and grabbed her hand. “I’m hearing you loud and clear, Muiri. Trust me on that. But please don’t force the issue.”

“Sorry,” she said quietly.

Wrapping an arm around her, I said, “No, don’t be. I understand why. I know you have trouble with it.”

“I do understand. But when you’re not there with me… I feel lonely. And I don’t want anyone else. Just you, Ragnar.”

“You’re making this very difficult. And I mean in the sense that I could stop everything with all the others except one.”

“You mean Haelga?” I nodded. “Can I ask a question about how you are with her?”

“Sure, but how do you mean?”

“I mean physically.” I couldn’t help smile, knowing what she was going to ask. That made her smile too. “Know what I’m going to ask?”

“I do. And, yes, what I share with you is very different, and I like that, because what I share with Haelga is unique to her, and what I share with you is unique to you.”

“So with you Haelga you’re…”

“Want to hear the truth?” She nodded. “More often than not, it is… hard. Rough. She has interests that involve her being completely submissive. Do you understand?”

“She likes being tied up and other things?”

“That and a lot more. Yes, at times, it can be incredibly loving and tender, but she is showing me many different ways that we can express our affection for each other.”

“Would you ever want to do that with me?”

“Most of the things I do with Haelga I wouldn’t want to do with you, Muiri. Not at all. But there is that carnal part of me that wants to rip off your clothes and fuck you senseless. Make you swallow my cock before I shove it in your arse, pull your hair back, slap your arse, make you beg, and then just ruin you. But most of me loves what we share now. You’re my beautiful, petite Breton woman, and I loved nothing more than watching you slowly ride me all night, or gazing into your eyes as you lie underneath me.”

She was quiet for a time, my arm still around her as she leaned into me. Her free hand gently grazed my thigh as my hand ran up and down her side. “I understand, Ragnar. And I mean that. So I can live with it. She offers you something different, and I know you love her.” 

“I do.”

“But you love me too?”

“Gods yes.”

“Then show me.”

I grabbed the furs and blankets and lay them down by the fire. I took forever taking off her clothes, running my fingers up and down every uncovered inch. She returned the favour until we were both naked, our bodies pressing together as we embraced and kissed. Then she surprised me by lowering herself down to her knees. She’d never taken me in her mouth. I’d never asked, and it never bothered me.

Her hands were small, barely able to wrap around my shaft, and I wondered how much she would be able to swallow. In the end, not the whole length, but she certainly tried her best. In the light of fire, her eyes were alive with their desire to please me, but I wasn’t going to finish in her mouth or on her face. I didn’t want to. There was only one place I would ever want to finish with her.

But I let her know it was very good. Excellent. Perfect, in fact. She was certainly enthusiastic, running her tongue constantly up and down my shaft, using her hand to stroke me at the same time. Once I reached a certain point, I asked her to stop. She understood why, and after helping her up, I immediately lay her down on the furs and returned the favour.

Her first orgasm didn’t take long at all. I’d learned everything about her body during the time around the lake. Knew where to kiss. Where to bite. Where to kiss. Where to touch. What turned her on. What didn’t work. And as for her pussy, I liked to think I was an expert in that region. And she tasted… I’m not sure if every woman has a unique taste or scent. I think they do. And, by the Eight, Muiri was the best I’d had. Even better than Haelga.

Despite how we’d met, what she’d ask me to do, and what she’d done before me, there was a purity, an innocence to her. It might sound strange, but even she would agree with me. I had a feeling she’d had few lovers, and certainly I was her first since Alain. But add all her feelings for me, and it was little wonder she found everything I did for her so wonderful.

I ate her out to three orgasms. After her third, I was left hoping no-one was around to hear her, probably wondering what was going on otherwise. I would have kept going, but after the third, she finally cried enough, though I still took my time kissing up her body, enjoying the softness of her skin, taking time to enjoy her breasts, before kissing up her neck and finally her mouth.

“Anyone would think you enjoy doing that to me,” she said softly.

“How could I not? Those little sounds and moans you make are worth it.” I noticed her blush slightly, looking away, so I used a finger to return her eyes to mine. “I could say even more, if you’d like.” Still blushing, she nodded regardless. “Your scent alone makes me hard, Muiri. Then there is your taste.” That made her laugh lightly, obviously never having heard anyone say it to her before. “I’m serious here. There’s a reason why I’m so happy to do it for what feels like hours. Your entire body is beautiful. I just want to touch and kiss you all over, feel your soft skin against my rough hands. Front and back. Every inch of you.”

She reached down to grab my cock, guiding it inside her. She was now used to taking me, though I was always careful not to cause her any pain. Once I was sheathed inside her, she asked me not to move, that she just wanted to enjoy the feeling of fullness. I couldn’t stay still forever, but I lasted as long as I could before I needed to do something.

“Ragnar, I want you to do something for me.”

“Yes?”

“I want you to fuck me.”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded. It was emphatic. “Maybe not what you do otherwise, but I’m not a delicate wallflower. That’s not to stay I haven’t loved every single second, but maybe you can show me what you can do otherwise? And, if we like it, we can mix up our love making going forward.”

I pulled out and flipped her over. She knew what I wanted, getting onto her hands and knees, looking back with a smile on her face. Her back was as perfect as her front, taking a moment to kiss from the small of her back all the way up to her neck, whispering into her ear that I loved her. She whispered those words back immediately. Her arse was soft but, like the rest of her, petite. I teased her by placing my cock between her cheeks. It looked enormous compared to her body, leaving me wondering how she took me at times. “Not there, Ragnar. I’m not sure I could handle it.”

“Only a very small but carnal part desires that, Muiri. Though your arse is fantastic, just like the rest of you.”

“Keep sweet talking me, and I might just say yes!”

Gently grabbing her hips, I pushed her forward so I could line myself up, and then held her in place as I slid inside her. She loved it immediately, but while I would have liked to have dominated her in that position, instead I lifted her up so her body was against me, wrapping an arm around her as she turned her head so I could kiss her. I fucked her harder than normal, enjoying the cries she made as I did, and she eventually asked me to let her go so she could fall forward, resting her head on her arms, looking back still with that smile on her face.

“Harder. Just a little harder.”

She wouldn’t ask if she didn’t want, so I did as she asked. Her face was a picture as I pumped into her hard enough that our skin was soon slapping together, leaning forward myself to place an arm on the ground, driving into her as I breathed in her ear. “That’s good, Ragnar,” she breathed.

“Not going to last much longer. It’s too damned good, Muiri.”

She giggled. “It’s okay, Ragnar. I’ve had three already. This is just for you.”

I kissed her cheek and kept the same momentum. No need to completely ruin her, and I didn’t want to. But she said she would stay in that position until I came, and my orgasm wasn’t long in arriving. I grunted a few times, Muiri enjoying the sound of my own pleasure as I released a roar as I drove into her a few final times before I finally released. I had to relax, leaning down above her on my forearms as she lay flat on the ground, taking me with her. My body just above hers, she leaned back to kiss my cheek. “I enjoyed that a lot, Ragnar.”

“Uh-huh.”

“And I think you definitely enjoyed it.”

“Aye.”

I had to lie down, quite happily pulling out and collapsing onto the ground beside her. She quickly wrapped an arm around me and turned me onto my side so she could spoon with me, ensuring she was holding both my hands. “I’ve had a wonderful week, Ragnar. I can’t remember being happier.”

“I’ve enjoyed it too. It’s been a lot of fun. Wonderful scenery. But the company has been delightful and certainly the best thing about it.”

Lying together by the fire, it took a while for us to feel the chill of the night, and we eventually had to head into our tent and snuggle under the furs. We didn’t talk much more but certainly spent a lot more time kissing and cuddling. We were both spent, though, so there was no further lovemaking that night.

I think we both had slightly heavy hearts the next morning, knowing we’d be back in Riften in a couple of hours. She proved how tolerant she was of me, though, by saying she expected me to visit Haelga that night. Part of me wanted to. The other part wanted to be with her. As we walked, she could see that I was in two minds, so made it for me, insisting that she’d had me for longer than a week, so that I should visit Haelga, understanding that I loved her too, and wanted to be with her as well.

“I’ll let Ingun know soon that we’ll just have to be friends.”

“And Karliah?”

“I don’t know. We work together quite often, so it’s… awkward.”

Muiri grabbed my hand and smiled at me. “It’s your decision, Ragnar. As you requested, I won’t force it. If you want to be with either of them occasionally, it’s fine.”

After passing through the gates, I escorted her all the way home, and we stood on the threshold of her bedroom, looking at the very soft and welcoming bed. It shouldn’t come as any great surprise that I didn’t return to Riftweald until the next morning.

Haelga was delighted to see me when I dropped by the next day. Asking where I’d been, she wasn’t surprised when I told her where I’d been, sitting me down at one of the tables, offering me a drink at the same time. Once I had a tankard in hand, she said, “That woman is head over heels in love with you, Ragnar.”

“I know she is.”

“You know I’m open-minded and don’t mind. What about her?”

I shrugged. “She says she’s fine with it. She knows how I feel about you, at least.”

“But…”

“She wants to get married, and I think sooner rather than later.”

“And if that happens, it ends between us,” she stated.

I nodded. “I’m sure some people would enjoy open relationships when married. But I think if I put a ring on her finger, and she puts one on mine, then that’s me committed to her, and only her.”

“There’s a smile on your face, Ragnar. You like the idea.”

“The idea of marriage doesn’t scare me as much as I thought it would. I know we talked about it too.”

“Aye, we did. But I’ve been there, done that, and… Well, you know.” She reached across the table. “I love what we share, Ragnar. I love you. But if you make the choice, I’ll understand. Please don’t lose her just to keep me around. I’m old enough to understand. As for the others, they’ll understand too. Try and make the right choice, at least.”

“I’ll give it some thought.”

“Good. But, despite that, what are you plans tonight?”

“That’s what I’m here to talk about. Would you like dinner at mine?”

“I’ll come prepared, Ragnar.” 

She certainly did, as after dinner, she practically dragged me to the Dibellan room. Her evening seemed to be one long continuous orgasm. She took my cock in every hole more than once. At one time or another, she was blindfolded, gagged, wrists bound, ankles bound, toys in her pussy, toys in arse, whips and cane across her arse. Think of something and it may just have happened…

Yet the smile on her face the next morning was totally worth it. Granted, she found sitting down quite difficult, as her last orgasm arrived through some of the hardest anal I’d ever given her, and I was still staggered when she begged for more. Lying in bed once we were finally done, and her appetite for everything was finally sated, she confessed that, selfishly, she hoped I wouldn’t propose to Muiri. I didn’t hold it against her at all, as I would miss her like no other if we stopped.

But I certainly had a decision to make.

* * *

 

After what was effectively a holiday away with Muiri for longer than a week, it was time for me to get back to work. The Guild had been busy during my time away, and Karliah had news to report. Books had come in from all over Skyrim and further afield, and she had learned of the location of another Daedric statue.

“I’ve barely heard of this one, but have you ever heard of Peryite?” she asked.

“No, never heard of him.”

“I’ve had to do a little research since discovering the name. He is known as the Taskmaster, or as the Blighted Lord.”

“Sounds delightful. So I assume you know where we are heading?”

“Well, you see, the thing is… It’s not a statue, like Azura, nor a temple, like Meridia. It’s more a… Well, it’s a tree, Ragnar.”

“A tree?”

Karliah shrugged helplessly. “That’s what the books state. Some sort of tree, and through it, we might be able to commune with Peryite.”

“When do you want to go?”

Karliah smiled. “I’ve already started putting things together. Tomorrow morning?”

“Perfect.”

“One last thing. We’ll have to take certain supplies, as one of the books suggested that we’d need to make some sort of incense to commune.”

I couldn’t help the slight groan. “Great. Why do I think it’s going to be something really weird again?!”

She laughed lightly to herself before stating she would meet me at the stables the next morning. I spent that night with Muiri at her place. She was surprised to see me, figuring I would be with Haelga again, not that she was complaining. I told her what I was doing, and that I’d probably be gone for a few days, but that the prize would be worth the time away. She just told me to be careful as always.

It was a cool morning as Karliah and I mounted our horses, ready for at least a two-day journey across Skyrim, and I knew we’d end up having to search for this shrine, as Karliah didn’t have an exact location. It had been a while since Karliah and I had been alone, so the first few hours of our ride was simply an opportunity to catch up. She’d been busy herself, and admitted she was putting together plans to perhaps recruit one or two more Nightingales. She knew I would eventually be distracted by other things, while Brynjolf agreed to become one but wasn’t exactly devoted. She wanted recruits who would live at the hall and perhaps even tend the Twilight Sepulcher with her.

We took the south road, and camped near Falkreath for the night. I managed to snag us a couple of rabbits for dinner quite quickly, and sitting by the campfire at night, we still had plenty to talk about. The conversation generally stayed on topic, the retrieval of Daedric artefacts, though it eventually strayed into other matters, my private life, of course.

“You were gone longer than we expected, Ragnar.”

“Aye. It was unexpected.”

“But?” she asked, giving me a look.

“But what?”

She laughed to herself. “Come now, Ragnar. I think I know you well enough now.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re thinking or contemplating something. Part of me does wonder what it is though.”

Draining the bottle of ale in my hand, I placed the bottle down and turned towards her. “I don’t wish to rake over old wounds, but you had a connection with Gallus, right?”

I think she knew where I was going straight away. She smiled though, I would assume at obvious memories. “I did, Ragnar. It was wonderful while it lasted.”

“I feel that same connection with Muiri.”

That caused her to raise eyebrows. “And Haelga?”

“I love her too, but the week I’ve just spent with Muiri… I’m head over heels for her, Karliah. Shit, when we weren’t talking as we were riding along, I was wondering what she was doing, thinking about what we could do when I returned, hoping she was thinking of me in return.”

Karliah didn’t say a thing for a moment. Then she hugged me. “I’m happy for you, Ragnar.”

I closed the hug, but still asked, “And you’re okay with it?”

She laughed lightly again as she let me go, though continued to hold my hands. “Ragnar, I knew this was never going to be permanent. I’ve enjoyed the time we spent together, and I have a lot of affection for you, as I’m sure you have for me.”

“I do. Definitely do.”

“But it’s not love. Yes, the sex has been great, but I find myself just enjoying spending time with you like this. Above all, you are my friend. And it won’t hurt me if we’re no longer physical. I’ll miss it. By the Eight, I’ll miss it, but I will still want your companionship on jobs like this.”

“Thank you.” I didn’t know what else to say.

“Will you want to be physical during this trip though?”

It was my turn to laugh. “I guess we can make it one last fling?”

She agreed that we would be intimate until our return to Riften, where our relationship would continue to be close, but it would only be professional. So we made the most of it that first night, and before mounting our horses the next morning after a night of lovemaking, we shared quite the passionate kiss before she hugged me tightly, resting her head on my chest. “Definitely going to miss that,” she said quietly.

The further west we headed, the more the landscape changed, becoming more mountainous, the plains of Whiterun left far behind. And with plenty of places for ambush, we both rode along with bows in hand. Forsworn operated in the region, and although Madanach had given his word that my allies and I would not be harmed going forward, I wasn’t sure if all his soldiers would be aware, and certainly wouldn’t know what I looked like.

But we rode along in peace, eventually coming to a stop at a particular mountain, albeit smaller than those in the distance, Karliah suggesting the shrine would be at the top of it. We searched and eventually found a path for our horses, and although narrow in places, managed to ascend without too much difficulty.

There we found a lone Khajit, who noticed our arrival and then… ignored us. Dismounting and tying our horses, we wandered towards the Khajit, who was busy at what looked like a Dwarven cauldron. What he was cooking, I have no idea, and didn’t particularly want to ask.

“Um, hello,” I stated.

He turned to look at us and introduced himself as Kesh. “Ah, wanderers, yes? No? Pilgrims, perhaps? You have come to commune with Peryite, Taskmaster and blighted lord, yes?”

“That’s what we’re here for. What can you tell us about him?” I assumed he would know more about him than either Karliah or I, who knew little. There were not many books about Peryite.

“He is the pus in the wound. Oh, proper ones curl their noses, but it's pus that drinks foul humours and restores the blood. I worship Peryite, yes, because sometimes the world can only be cleansed by disease.”

Karliah and I shared a glance. “Okay, what in oblivion have you got me into here, Ragnar?”

“Me? You’re the one who suggested this!”

“You’re the one that wants Daedric bloody artefacts!”

Damn it, I hate it when she’s right. “Kesh, we would like to commune with Peryite. What would it take to do that?”

“Not everyone has the stomach required to entreat my Lord. But Kesh likes you, friend. There is a way Peryite may speak to us who will take Him in. If you wish to commune with Him, we'll need the incense.”

Karliah walked to her horse, returning a couple of minutes later with what was required. Kesh looked surprised but thanked us, and he immediately moved towards another cauldron next to a mangled tree. Karliah grabbed my attention, suggesting the tree was how we would commune with Peryite. How that would happen, I had no idea.

I also had no idea what Kesh was actually doing, but in addition to our ingredients, he added a lot more, and after a few minutes, the cauldron was full of a green and absolutely foul smelling liquid. Karliah looked like she was going to be ill, and while I might have a strong stomach, even I was struggling. Kesh didn’t appear perturbed, and once he was done stirring, he beckoned me forward. “It is ready, pilgrim. Inhale deeply and Peryite may speak with you if he finds you worthy.”

Doing as required, I was fairly sure I’d lose my breakfast in seconds. Instead, there was a bright light and… The tree seemed to speak to me. If not the tree, then there was a trio of skeevers, ghostly looking skeevers, that seemed to speak. It was weird. I’m not sure it was a hallucination or if I wasn’t going nuts. I’d seen enough strange things as it was.

“"Breathe deep, mortal. I would have you hear me well, so let these vapours fill your lungs.”

Definitely Peryite. “You’ve chosen to speak with me. Why?”

I’m fairly sure he’d know why I was there. I was after some sort of artefact. The Daedra seemed to know what we mortals were thinking most of the time. “I have watched you for some time, you know. The decisions you've made intrigue me, and I wonder if you are a proper agent for a task of mine. I sent a blessing to Mundus, a wasting plague that infected a scattering of Breton villages. One of my monks, the elf Orchendor, was sent to gather these Afflicted. He shepherded them into Bthardamz for me, but has since lost his way. I will not stand for betrayal. I want you to go to Bthardamz and kill Orchendor, in my name.”

Our commune didn’t last long. I guess Peryite would speak more upon my return. My vision cleared and everything around me returned to normality. Asking Kesh if he knew Bthardamz was, he said it was just down the mountain and we’d see Dwarven ruins during our walk down. “What does he want us to do?” Karliah asked once we started walking.

“Find an elf and kill him.”

“You didn’t ask too many questions. What did he say otherwise?”

“Apparently he’s been watching me. I’m not sure how but he said my decisions intrigued him.”

I’m fairly sure one Dwarven ruin is like another, but the outskirts of Bthardamz appeared in rather good conditions, left thinking the Dwemer had built things to last, much like their machines that waited for us inside. Any thoughts of an easy journey through the ruin ended in a matter of minutes as a couple of the Afflicted Peryite mentioned attacked us. One appeared to spew this green bile, eerily reminiscent of the liquid Kesh had cooked up on the mountain, and the fact it sizzled on the ground suggested it was probably poisonous and acidic. After killing the pair, Karliah asked, “So what do we do once inside?”

“Kill those who attack us. Leave those who don’t.”

Karliah agreed, and we found an entrance into the ruin itself. Like always, it was rather dark inside, though the place felt alive, as the Dwemer mechanisms were still working, Karliah and I sneaking past areas we knew their machines might wake and attack us. We passed rooms where Afflicted were sleeping on stone beds, agreeing that we would let them live, at least. I’d committed murder, and didn’t particularly want to commit many more.

We found evidence that some of them were a little nuts in addition to being full of whatever poison they’d chosen to imbibe. Gathered around some sort of statue or idol to Peryite, Karliah and I listened in to their prayers. The mention of Orchendor gained our absolute attention. With no way to sneak around them, we did something to gain their attention, and once they immediately tried to attack us, putting them down wasn’t a problem.

Bthardamz was an absolute labyrinth of long corridors and cavernous rooms. Some Afflicted remained asleep, and therefore undisturbed by us. I think many were probably dreadfully ill, remembering the words of both Kesh and Peryite about blight and disease, just wondering what sort of plague had taken place in Breton lands. Thinking of Bretons made me think of Muiri…

Armed with bows, as neither Karliah nor myself wanted to get too close to the Afflicted, we slowly but surely made our way forward, keeping to the shadows, killing those that chose to attack, leaving alone those who didn’t bother us. The further into the ruin we descended, the more Dwemer machines woke up, and they did not hesitate in attacking, and that’s when I needed to unsheathe my sword and defend the pair of us. The little spider looking machines were more a nuisance, but the machines that appeared to roll along the ground, making all manner of strange sounds, packed a punch with their solid metal arms.

Eventually we saw no more Afflicted, only the Dwemer machines. Sneaking by them was nearly impossible, so Karliah unsheathed her own blade as we went on the attack. No point in sneaking, but I think we both near shit our pants upon opening one of the large pair of double doors to be faced by an enormous Dwemer contraption.

“Centurion! Fuck!” Karliah cried, grabbing my arm and dragging me back.

“How the hell do we kill it?”

“Get in close, hack at its legs. Just watch yourself. It blows steam that’ll cook you where your stand, and its arms will take your head clean off. Keep low, move fast.”

Looking back, I still have no idea how we both survived. With little room for manoeuvre, it actually suited us more than the enormous Centurion, as we could time our swings, rolling out of the way of its giant arms, while raising my shield blocked the worst of the steam. It took a long time, Karliah and I exhausted by the end, but somehow we managed to get the giant contraption onto its knees. Once we had it there, the pair of us went on the attack. Even a machine can only take so much punishment before it will stop working, and as I distracted it, the Centurion still managing to blow off steam, Karliah attacked it from behind, banging its head for all she was worth. The Centurion finally collapsed onto its front, and the pair of us hit it a number of times before we were satisfied it wouldn’t rise again.

“Fuck that thing!” I cried. Karliah just staggered towards me, throwing her arms around me, sagging into my body. “And you’re exhausted.”

“That was tough, Ragnar,” she groaned.

“And we still haven’t found Orchendor.”

She relaxed against me for a couple of minutes. To be honest, I needed a few minutes to let the adrenaline die down too. Taking a last deep breath, she let me go and took out her bow, suggesting we just put a few arrows in the elf and be done with it. That sounded like a fine idea, and stepping over the Centurion, we moved on.

We found Orchendor in an enormous room, completely isolated. He was a powerful mage, and was able to fling magic rather quickly, Karliah and I ensuring we split up as we worked. Karliah was far better with a bow, so I made sure I distracted the elf, allowing her to line up and get the shot. She didn’t need more than one arrow, the steel tip going straight through the throat of the elf as he was charging up some sort of spell. He collapsed to his knees, hearing him choke, as I stepped towards him. I think he tried to say something before he fell forward.

“Well, I think it’s safe to say the Centurion was tougher,” I joked.

“Humans are fragile. And can’t withstand a well-aimed arrow.”

We wandered around, seeing if there was anything we could swipe. There was coin and jewels as always, sharing those between us, making sure we’d also take back a little for the Guild too. We also found a key, and after a quick search, found it worked on door, which opened to an elevator that took us all the way back to the surface. I’ll admit we both delighted in taking a few deep breaths of fresh air, realising how dank and pungent the air had been throughout the ruin.

It was probably the middle of the night, but we agreed to head straight back to the shrine, Karliah using a little magic to generate a bright light that lit the way. Both of us still rather exhausted, our walk up the hill took far longer than it normally would. Kesh was asleep, and Karliah and I quickly set up a tent, rolled out our sleep bags, and went straight to sleep.

The next morning, I communed with Peryite after again inhaling the incense, and he was rather pleased. “Well done, mortal. All things are in their order, and Orchendor roams the Pits. His betrayal will be punished, and your obedience is rewarded.”

There was a bright light, that I’m sure might have blinded all of us, and next to the tree was a shield. “That’s Spellbreaker,” Karliah stated.

Picking it up, the shield was far lighter than my current one. “What do you know about it?”

“In language you’ll understand, Ragnar, it’s enchanted to fuck.” I laughed as she continued. “It will protect you from any magic attack. It pretty much acts as a magical ward.”

“Awesome,” I whispered, “It looks Dwarven.”

“While the Dwemer didn’t revere the Eight, or Nine, as far as I’m aware, it’s possible it could be built from the same materials.”

Objective complete, we thanked Kesh for his assistance before packing up camp, hitching our supplies to our horses, and we headed back down the mountain before turning onto the road heading east. It was another two-day journey, and the final night in camp, Karliah and I made love for what we figured was the final time. Neither of us got particularly emotional about it, simply having fun together, knowing we would remain firm friends from the next day onwards, just without sharing the bed occasionally.

But I’d made my mind up by the time we approached the hill leading up towards Riften. I knew what I was going to do. I surprised even myself by making the decision I would take. Perhaps it was a sign that I was maturing. Or maybe I was just more in love with her than even I thought.

After stabling our horses, Karliah said she would head back to Nightingale Hall and continue her research. Her last words to me were said with much affection.

“Good luck, Ragnar. I hope she says yes.”


	17. Love and Marriage

“How does marriage work in Skyrim?” I asked the priest, who introduced himself as Maramal. I’d seen him once or twice in the Bee and Barb, calling all of us sinners for drinking alcohol, listening to music, and generally enjoying ourselves. 

“You wish to get married?” he asked, sounding a little surprised. I guess he’d noticed me around town.

“Aye.”

“Oh, well, to be honest, it’s quite simple. All you need is an Amulet of Mara. Wear that near the person you intend to marry. She or he should notice it, and will enquire as to your intentions. You may then propose to that person, return to myself or my associates, and we can organise a date for the ceremony.”

“It’s that simple.”

He laughed at my tone, as I was quite clearly surprised at the simplicity. “This is not the Imperial City. Most people simply wish for a simple exchange of vows and rings before returning to their lives. It is a reflection of life itself in Skyrim. No need for gaudy displays of affection.”

Not having an Amulet of Mara, I asked if I can purchase one, and for the price of a few coin, I took the Amulet of Dibella from around my neck, placed that in my pocket, and wandered back out into Riften. The first person I needed to visit wasn’t Muiri. I would need to talk to Haelga first.

She was delighted to see me as always, but I think my face must have said it all, as after she kissed and hugged me, she led me to one of the tables nearby. Taking a seat side by side, she asked, “It’s over, isn’t it?”

My heart nearly broke at her tone. I loved her. She loved me. But my love for Muiri was… stronger. Better. Haelga didn’t want marriage. Nor children. And she would remain in Riften forever. With Muiri, I felt there were opportunities for other things. She’d made her feelings and intentions known since nearly day one. And the more time passed, the more the thought of settling down with someone, but particularly her, seemed to be the best decision I could make.

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly.

She wrapped an arm around me, leaning her head against me. “Don’t be. Don’t be at all. I think we both knew this might happen if you were to meet someone else.”

“But I feel like I said…”

“Ragnar, there are two men I’ve loved. I still love my husband, despite him no longer being here. And you, and I know you will still love me in your own way, even when we’re no longer together.”

“I will remember our time together fondly.”

“As will I. As I said, you were what I was looking for. I can only hope the next man I meet measures up to even half of who you are.”

“That’s quite the compliment.” I turned to kiss her cheek. “But I will always have a place in my heart for you, Haelga.”

“And I you, Ragnar,” she whispered. Her voice finally broke, and I turned to hold her. She didn’t break down and cry. She was far stronger than that. But I knew this would be the last time I would hold her in such a way. And kiss her, as she looked up at me, her eyes glistening from tears that wanted to fall, and when our lips met, I knew the tears finally did.

It was one of our greatest kisses, putting all the feelings we had for each other into the gesture. But it was also the worst, as we both knew it would likely be the last. We would not be intimate again, not with the decision I had made. When we broke apart, she laid her head on my chest as I held her. “Once you go, I won’t want to see you for a couple of days, Ragnar. Just to get my head right.”

“Okay.” 

“I don’t hate you for this. As I said, I’ll still love you. And I’m even happy for you. Despite what you do, and some of the things you’ve done, you’re still a decent man at heart. And Muiri is a delightful young woman.” She paused, before adding, “And I won’t come to the wedding. I can’t see you get married to someone else, despite the fact we never would.”

We sat together in silence, just holding each other, before I suggested it was best that I leave. She held tightly onto my hand as we walked to the door. Standing on the threshold, we hugged a final time, and I could feel her hands tight on my back, not wanting to let me go. I held her tightly in return, and we kissed a final time. “I love you,” she whispered once our lips part.

“And I love you, Haelga. And I’ll always be around if you want some company. Just no longer in the way I know we both enjoyed.”

That gave her a good chuckle, and it was probably the best way we could part. “I will see you around, Ragnar. Maybe for a drink in the Bee and Barb?”

“I’ll be at my usual table if you’d like to join me one time.”

“You and your new wife?”

“Well, yes.”

“I’d be delighted, Ragnar. But, again, maybe not in the next few days, or immediately after your wedding.”

We shared a brief, final hug, before she kissed my cheek, gently pushed me back, bid me farewell, before closing the door. Not exactly in my face, but it was a symbol of what just happened. The relationship between Haelga and I had just changed, perhaps forever. I would always hold affection for her. To be honest, I would always love her. But it was now time to move on.

I wouldn’t just go straight from Haelga to Muiri. In my mind, that certainly wasn’t the right thing to do. Instead, I headed back to Riftweald. Aranea was sitting at the dining table, and offered to make me dinner. I eagerly agreed, and as we sat together, feasting on some roasted goat and potatoes, I showed her what I bought. “Who’s the lucky woman? Or, I think the accurate question is, which one is the lucky woman?”

“Muiri.”

Aranea smiled. “A good choice. She’s a lovely woman. What of Haelga?”

“We’ll remain friends. It will be awkward to begin with, but I think we’ll be as close in the future, just without the sex.”

“And Karliah?”

“We’ll remain friends and co-workers, also without the sex.”

“So you will be a one-woman man?”

“Aye. First time in my life.”

“You must really love this woman.”

I couldn’t help smile as I said, “I do. I really, definitely do.” 

Lying in bed alone that night, I found sleep difficult as I thought about what I was preparing to do. It wasn’t the fact I was scared. It wasn’t the idea that I thought she’d say no. And I didn’t think I was too young. Many were far younger than myself when they found themselves wed. I had never intended to marry, always thinking I’d enjoy a variety of women. But I’d felt something for Muiri within minutes of meeting her. Our first time being intimate was some of the best sex of my life.

It's probably why I’d willingly killed for her.

Waking the next morning having finally drifted off to sleep, I enjoyed a hearty breakfast with Aranea before dressing in some of my finest clothes. Heading out into the market, I bought a bouquet of flowers before heading to Muiri’s place. Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door. Upon opening it, she smiled immediately upon seeing me standing there with flowers. “For me?” she asked.

“Aye,” I replied, handing them over. She dipped her nose, inhaling the scent, closing her eyes, the smile on her face broadening.

“Oh, they’re wonderful, Ragnar. And some of my favourites too. How did…”

“How did I know? I do listen to you, Muiri.”

“You should come in.”

As the fire was always roaring, I took off my coat and sat on the lounge in front of it, watching Muiri grab a vase, fill it with water, and place the flowers in it. The vase then took pride of place on her mantelpiece before she sat next to me, immediately leaning into hug me. “Thank you. They’re beautiful,” she said softly.

“I’m just glad you like them!”

“It’s a lovely gesture, Ragnar. Not often a man will… pick?”

“No, I can admit that I bought them at the market.”

“Well, you still managed to choose the most colourful, those with the nicest scent, and most importantly, those I love the most.”

“As I said, I do listen.”

I leaned down to kiss her, her lips soft, her mouth willing, as I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her tight towards me. I felt the smile on her lips as we kissed before she pulled back, gently stroking my cheek. “I love you, Ragnar,” she whispered, “A little bit more every day.”

“Well, I’m glad you said that because…”

I reached under my shirt and pulled out the amulet. I watched her face. She didn’t know whether to smile, cry, cover her mouth due to the shock. Her eyes, though. They said everything I needed to know. I knew the answer before I even started. “I love you, Muiri. And you’re the only one I truly want to be with. I learned that during our week together. So, it’s a rather simple question. Will you marry me?”

“Yes!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around me, kissing me again.

“It’s just you and me, Muiri. You have my word.”

Leaning back, I watched her look at my face before meeting my eyes, “So even Haelga…?”

“I talked to her yesterday. We were not intimate and I told her we would remain close friends if she wanted, but that I wanted to be with you, and only you.” She opened her mouth, and I think she was ready to ask a question. I could guess what that question was. “I’m sure, Muiri. I’ve never been so sure of something in all my life.”

“Take me to the bedroom, Ragnar,” she ordered, gently.

Picking her up was easy, considering how small she was compared to me, though that didn’t stop her cooing about her big strong man as I carried her to the bedroom. Sitting her down on the bed, we undressed each other rather quickly, doing it rather awkwardly at times, as we simply didn’t want to break our kiss. Once we were naked, she shuffled backwards on the bed so I could join her. I think she was expecting me to just slide my cock inside her, but the smile on my face suggested what I was going to do first.

I covered her body with my lips, leaving kisses everywhere, giving her small breasts plenty of attention. By the time I made it to her sex, she was soaking wet, and I thoroughly enjoyed her taste as I dipped my tongue. Lifting her legs back, she completely exposed herself, grabbing a pillow so she could watch me, my eyes ensuring I looked up into hers. “Ragnar,” she hissed quietly.

I couldn’t help think to myself as I ate her out that I’d happily do this every single day for the rest of my life, if she was willing. I didn’t think she wouldn’t be. She loved sex just as much as myself. And she was loving what I was doing at the moment, watching her face, her chest rising and falling quicker, almost panting at times, knowing her climax was approaching and inevitable.

“Clit, Ragnar. Do that and…”

Her head rolled back as I touched it the first time, her body almost unconsciously pressing down into my mouth. As I gently played with her clit, I slid a couple of fingers into her tight Breton pussy. She cried out again, hooking her arms under her knees, her eyes now wild with desire, and I knew she was desperate to cum. I knew it was going to be big, and considering what I’d done a few minutes before, probably emotional too.

“Ragnar,” she breathed again, “I’m so close…”

She was, as her climax arrived no more than a minute or so later. She cried out again as she came, her head rolling back, nearly her entire body shuddering, from her little feet all the way to the top of her head. She cried out again as I kept going before I felt a hand on my head, the universal gesture for me to stop. Kissing gently back up her body, it still shaking from what I’d just done, she opened her eyes as I hovered over her. It came as no surprise to see her cheeks were already wet, throwing her arms around me to hold me close.

“I thought I’d be waiting forever for you to propose,” she said, her voice heavy with emotion.

“I couldn’t wait forever. And I was being selfish to think you’d put up with it forever.”

“When did you change your mind?” 

Lifting my head to meet her eyes, I said, “During the week we spent together. I never gave anyone else a thought while we were way. That’s when I knew you were the one.”

She kissed me, though needed to break it when I slid my cock inside her, watching and hearing her gasp before the smile formed. I didn’t last long at all. Five minutes, tops. She certainly didn’t complain. I certainly wasn’t going to either. When I climaxed inside her, I’ll admit even I felt the sense of occasion, though I put it down to the look of love, devotion and adoration in her eyes.

We spent the entire morning in bed, mixing lovemaking with conversation. It amazed me that we could always find something to talk about. With Muiri, I was honest about everything in my life. She knew what I did and didn’t judge as I’d explained the rules by which the Guild would now work. We were still all thieves at the end of the day but we worked with at last a modicum of honour, and I still believed it was a relatively victimless crime.

Heading out at lunchtime, we went to the Bee and Barb, where I wore the Amulet of Mara above my shirt, holding the hand of Muiri as we wandered in and sat at my usual desk. Many of the regulars noticed the amulet, assumed we were now betrothed, and were quick to congratulate us. Even Maven approached us, offering us good wishes, though leaned down and whispered in my ear that she was sad to know I was now off the market.

“When would you like to get married?” I asked after we’d finished eating.

There was nothing but a smile at first, no doubt thinking of our future together. “As soon as possible, Ragnar.”

“Would you like to buy a dress for the occasion?”

“No. I just want to get married to you.”

I thought about what day it was. “Today is Tirdas. How about Loredas? You sound eager to be married as soon as possible. So am I, so the quicker, the better.”

“Something to look forward to for the rest of the week.”

“And you’ll obviously move into mine after the ceremony? I was thinking you move in, and Aranea can take your place?”

“What about the… room you built for Haelga?”

“I’ll lock the door and forget about it. Unless…”

She laughed lightly. “I think most of it is far too much for me, Ragnar. I prefer you when you’re being gentle with me.” She leaned forward and whispered, “Though I did like it when you grabbed me tightly by the hips when I was on my hands and knees and… you know…” She trailed off with a blush.

“We can do that any time you want to. Quite frankly, Muiri, we can do anything you want… within reason…”

Gently kissing my lips, she whispered, “There’s a good chance I will end up thinking the same thing, Ragnar.”

Heading to the Temple of Mara, Maramal explained the ceremony and what to expect. He asked if we would have many guests. I said I would have a witness. Muiri had no family, so I suggested Aranea could be there for her. Muiri didn’t mind who was her witness, as long as we were wed at the end. Letting Maramal know the day, he asked when we’d like to be married. We both agreed that midday would be best.

Returning to Riftweald, Muiri stopped me before entering. “Ragnar, what would you say if I suggested that we don’t see each other until the wedding?

“Why?”

“Because although I don’t need a fancy frock to marry you, I would still like to surprise you. And I’m sure you can find a little something to dress in too. And, as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. So I expect us to eagerly consummate our marriage quite quickly, yes?”

“Definitely.”

“So you can handle not seeing me for a few days?”

“No.” She was about to say something as her face fell, so I smiled and added, “But I can deal with it.”

She hugged me tightly before I leaned down to kiss her. It was a long kiss, long enough to draw the attention of a couple of passing guards. One cleared his throat and suggested we should just head inside. That caused both of us to laugh before Muiri took a step back. “Next time you see me, I’ll be walking down the aisle towards you.”

“I can’t wait. I love you.”

“I love you, Ragnar. See you on Loredas.”

Knowing I wouldn’t see her for a few days, I had to keep myself busy. First thing I had to do was get myself some new clothes. The finest I could lay my hands on. And, of course, I’d get those at the Guild. Heading down the Flagon, I let everyone know what had happened. I received plenty of pats on the back or handshakes in congratulations. Vex was surprised, believing I’d continue to sleep around with various women, mentioning I’d never approached her for a good fuck. I couldn’t help chuckle at her tone, though she said it was probably for the best to just keep our relationship professional. I asked Brynjolf to be my witness, and I think I near enough made him cry. Considering I had few friends outside the Guild, and the relationship the pair of us had formed, no wonder I’d want him there. I then added that everyone would be invited to the post-wedding celebration at the Bee and Barb, suggesting everyone should attend though incognito. As in, dressed in normal clothing.

With three days to fill, I packed up some camping supplies and headed out of Riften, figuring I’d spend the three days I had free out in the wild, perhaps doing a bit of hunting, a bit of swimming, and trying not to think about Muiri most of the time. I also didn’t want any temptation in Riften to go back on my vow, nor did I want to be too near Karliah at the hall.

I’ll admit, I ended up finding it a little lonely as, despite my best intentions, I thought about her all the bloody time. Typical. At least when I was armed with bow and arrow, tracking an elk or deer, I could concentrate on the task at hand and clear my mind. But when sitting by the campfire during the evening, nursing a cup of wine, I found my thoughts would eventually drift and end up thinking about her, wondering what she was doing and if she was missing me as badly.

At least I bagged a couple of elk, so I’d have some furs and meat to take back with me. Almost ran into a bear during one of my hunts, a couple of arrows into the ground near it actually scaring it off. I had my sword and shield with me, just in case it decided to attack me, though it was always dangerous taking on a bear one v one.

I returned to Riften on the evening of Fredas, rather excited at the prospect of getting married the next day. I took the pelts to Asbjorn, who was the owner of the ‘Scorched Hammer’. He asked if I wanted anything made from the pelts or if I just wanted to sell them. As I had plenty of armour, I just took the offer of coin. The meat I took back to Riftweald, where I ask Aranea to cook us up some venison, while I would put the antlers to good use. 

“Are you looking forward to tomorrow, Ragnar?” she asked once we sat down to eat.

“Aye. Probably won’t sleep tonight. I haven’t seen her for three days.”

“Is it because you haven’t seen her or another reason?”

She gave me a look and I couldn’t help chuckle. “No, I haven’t missed her just for that reason, Aranea. As I told her, that week and a bit we spent together told me everything I needed to know. Just being with her, having her close to me… I knew when we returned to Riften what I wanted to do. It was just that selfish part of me that wanted to have my sweet roll and eat it too.”

“Maybe it’s a sign of your maturity?”

I couldn’t help chuckle. “That’s doubtful. But I’m prepared to give up everyone else for her in a heartbeat.”

Lying back in bed later that night, I couldn’t help think back about my life. Being an orphan. Then an urchin on the streets. A pickpocket. A thief. Then a new calling as a warrior. Losing my virginity and finding a carnal desire to be with as many women as possible. Life blowing up in my face and my effective exile to Skyrim. Then everything that had happened to me since then. Yet growing up, I’d never given marriage a serious thought. It’s funny how life works out.

I woke earlier than normal the next morning, sitting out on the porch as the sun rose, eating a hearty breakfast. Aranea joined me, rather amused at my excitement. We’d spoken and she was happy enough moving out, though insisted she’d still spend plenty of time at my place. Heading inside, I picked out the finery I’d chosen. I didn’t want to wear all black, too much of a reminder of my Nightingale Armour. So I went with a dark blue coat and trousers, with a white shirt and dark shoes. I trimmed my beard and made sure I had a good wash before dressing. Once I felt ready, I asked Aranea how I looked.

“Nervous?” she wondered.

“Surprisingly no. I feel ready for this.”

“That’s good. Though last minute nerves are nothing to be ashamed about.”

“Have you been married?”

“No. I have always served Azura in one form or another. That’s not to say I haven’t enjoyed a few lovers over the decades.”

Raising my eyebrows, I asked, “Decades?”

“I understand your friend, Karliah, is in her sixties? She looks good for her age. I’m much older, Ragnar. I guess one of the joys of my kind is the length of life you can expect.”

“And I’ve got a couple of decades if I’m unlucky…” 

“Make the most of it while you can, Ragnar. A long life isn’t always what it’s crack up to be.”

Close to midday, we headed out into Riften and towards the Temple of Mara. It appeared quite a few of the townsfolk were aware of what was happening. It probably wasn’t good that so many knew my face, but whether they knew what I did for a living, I didn’t know. Perhaps there were rumours, but I never heard any. I assumed most had me down as some sort of mercenary, particularly as I left and returned quite often.

Walking into the temple, there was actually quite an audience. Everyone from the Thieves Guild was in attendance, all dressed in ordinary clothing, most sitting either alone or in pairs. None would be well known to anyone in Riften. At least that’s what I thought. I noticed Maven and Ingun sitting together. Grelka was also in attendance, as was Madesi, who also ran a stall at the market.

Maramal was in position for the ceremony and it was a case of waiting for Muiri to arrive. I didn’t watch the door, just in case that would cause the nerves to build. I talked quietly with Brynjolf beside me, and only turned when the conversation turned to whispers, and I knew she had stepped inside. I turned to see her, and I nearly wept immediately. She was… radiant. I didn’t know what to expect, but I certainly hadn’t expected her to be dressed in white, and certainly nothing like the pure white dress she was wearing. On her head she wore a veil, just about covering her face. In her hands she carried a small bouquet of flowers. I could only watch, completely entranced, as she slowly walked towards me.

I felt an elbow into my side. “You are one lucky S.O.B, lad,” Brynjolf whispered.

Once by my side, I helped lift her veil, revealing her face. She’d put on some faint make up, but frankly, she didn’t need any. The smile on her face lit up the room. She didn’t look close to crying. She looked utterly, blissfully happy. Grabbing both her hands, I’m sure I smiled like a complete idiot too. “You look… beautiful.”

“You scrub up nicely yourself.”

Maramal cleared his throat to gain our attention. It was a good idea, as I was thoroughly distracted otherwise. Muiri just laughed to herself as we turned to face the priest.

“It was Mara that first gave birth to all of creation and pledged to watch over us as her children. It is from her love of us that we first learned to love one another. It is from this love that we learn that a life lived alone is no life at all. We gather here today, under Mara's loving gaze, to bear witness to the union of two souls in eternal companionship. May they journey forth together in this life and the next, in prosperity and poverty, and in joy and hardship.”

Muiri and I shared a glance, both of us smiling. Maramal continued. “Muiri, do you agree to be bound together with Ragnar, in love, now and forever?”

“I do. Now and forever.”

“And Ragnar, do you agree to be bound together with Muiri, in love, now and forever?”

“I do. Now and forever.”

“Under the authority of Mara, the Divine of Love, I declare this couple to be wed. I present to the two of you with these matching rings, blessed by Mara's divine grace. May they protect each of you in your new life together.”

After each of us placed the ring on the others finger, we kissed for the first time as husband and wife, keeping it relatively chaste, considering we were in a temple, and had quite the crowd, who broke into applause as the conclusion of our kiss. Retaining my hold of her hand, we walked out into Riften, where more people were waiting for us. Heading straight for the Bee and Barb, we had organised with Keerava for platters of food to be provided for invited guests, as well as at least three barrels of ale, and what seemed like endless bottles of wine. There was also a trio of bards to provide music, and as the alcohol flowed and food was consumed, everyone relaxed and enjoyed themselves. In the end, I think the only people who didn’t attend were people from Mistveil Keep, which is the local jarls residence.

To both our surprise, Haelga did wander in a couple of hours after festivities began. Muiri and I approached her, the first thing Haelga doing was hugging my wife. I stood back, not hearing the words they shared, but after breaking the hug, both were smiling, so I can only assume the words exchanged were polite. Haelga then hugged me, whispering her congratulations for us both in my ear. I held her for a little while, thanking her for attending.

“I guess I just had to see you,” she said once she took a step back, “And I told Muiri she looks simply beautiful in her wedding gown.”

“Certainly took my breath away as she walked towards me,” I said.

“So do you plan on taking your wife away to celebrate?”

“Aye. We’re going to head to Eastmarch.”

“Ah, the hot springs.”

“I’m certainly looking forward to it,” Muiri added, “I’ve found a real love and appreciation for the outdoors lately.”

We didn’t stay at the Bee and Barb all night. After a couple of hours, Muiri was soon whispering things in my ear. Very rude and suggestive things that was always bound to get the desired reaction. Standing on a table and asking for silence, everyone looked at me as I thanked them all for attending. There were one or two comments about Muiri and I leaving early, but frankly, neither of us was embarrassed, as what was stated was categorically true.

It was dark by the time we left the tavern, so the first thing I did upon entering Riftweald was light the fire and plenty of candles. “Do you want a drink?” I asked from the kitchen.

“I just want you, Ragnar,” Muiri called back.

Walking into our bedroom, she wasn’t lying, as her dress was already lying over one of the chairs, Muiri stood by the bed in only panties. I know I definitely smiled as she giggled at my reaction. Between the door and embracing her, I managed to undress myself completely. She was rather warm as our skin touched, and I don’t think I’d been harder in my life. “I’m going to last two minutes,” I warned with a chuckle.

“We have the rest of our lives, Ragnar.” Then she surprised me by dropping to her knees. “But maybe this will help you last longer after later?”

“Muiri, you don’t…”

“I want to,” she interrupted, looking up at me with the most loving and devoted smile I’d ever seen. “I am your wife. You are my husband. And as I said, I will do anything to make you happy. Plus, I enjoy doing this because I love the look on your face when I do.”

I wasn’t lying. From my cock disappearing into her mouth to my climax, I lasted about two to three minutes at most. I guess it was the fact I hadn’t been with her for a few days, plus the sense of occasion. Even better, Muiri let me finish me finish in her mouth. No, ‘let me’ isn’t the right phrase. She wanted me to. It was a rather nice climax, feeling it necessary to sit back on the bed once I was done. Muiri swallowed what I gave her before she sat next to me, immediately cuddling into my side. “Well, it’s safe to say I’ll definitely do that again,” she said softly.

“I’ll last longer next time.”

“No complaints from me, Ragnar. I love the fact I excite you so much.”

Of course, I was quite happy to return the favour, though I didn’t just start with her sex. No, I focused attention all over the rest of her body before lowering my mouth to her pussy, spending plenty of time fondling and using my mouth on her breasts, before finally eating her out. By the time I started, she was soaking wet, and her climax was like mine. Rather quick in arriving. Unlike myself, though, she didn’t need a certain amount of recovery time, and I quite happily kept going, eating her out to a second and then third. I would have happily kept going all night, but it eventually got too much for her. The look in her eyes as she looked to where I rested my head on her mound…

Kissing back up her body, her hands ran up my arms, resting on my back as I kissed her. I gave her a couple of minutes before pressing my cock at her entrance. She kissed me harder as I slid it inside her, needing to break the kiss so she could gasp and release a loud moan as I buried myself completely. Then I stopped, just enjoying the feeling of being inside my wife for the first time. I think we both smiled at each other like a pair of fools, completely, hopelessly in love with each other.

“Promise me it will always be like this,” she whispered.

“Oh, definitely.”

Wrapping her legs around me, she lifted herself up slightly, gasping again at the new angle I was inside her. “Okay, I’m definitely not going three days without this again.”

“Miss me and this feeling of fullness eh?”

She slightly blushed. “I may have played with myself that very first night thinking about you.”

“And the other two nights?”

She looked away, now rather embarrassed. “I had to take some time during the day for myself.”

Despite my cock being buried inside her, I couldn’t help chuckle at her confession. “So if we’re in the same city, we won’t be doing that again?” She shook her head emphatically. “Lesson learned?”

She lifted her head to kiss me. “I think you should make love to your wife, Ragnar.”

We made love all night, taking our time to simply enjoy each other. She was constantly wet and willing. I knew I’d never tire of the feeling of burying my cock in that tight Breton pussy. The look in her eyes as we continued to kiss as I slowly thrust into her was one of complete happiness. Her hands loved running up and down my arms and my back, raining compliments down on me for my physique. Switching positions so she could ride me, I returned the favour, enjoying the feeling of her soft skin under my palms, holding her small body at her hips with my hands as she slowly rode me. There was still little more exciting than watching my cock disappear inside her, then reappear, disappear again, and so on as she rode herself to another climax. She kept going, though, wanting me to finish inside her.

She got her wish a few minutes later, then she laid down on my chest, running a couple of fingers along her spine. She started to giggle, suggesting it tickled her, though she didn’t ask me to stop. “Ragnar, can I ask a question?”

“You can ask me anything.”

“When do you want to start a family?”

Chuckling, I replied, “Someone is eager.”

She lifted her head to meet my eyes. “I’d just like to know when I can stop taking my potions.”

“Why don’t we talk about it when we’re back from Eastmarch?”

Smiling, she said that was fine, though added she was looking forward to being a mother. Being as corny as always, I said we should just get in as much practice as possible before we decided on taking that next step. She eagerly agreed, sliding off me and lying back, dragging me on top of her, demanding again that I make love to her.

As I said, we made love all night. It had been a long day, and by the time I held her in my arms a couple of hours later, we were both exhausted. Happy, but exhausted. I think we both found sleep difficult despite our tiredness, her hands continuing to caress my arms as I held her tightly towards my body. The last thing we told each other before finally drifting off is that we loved each other. I would make sure they would always be the last words we shared upon parting or sleeping.

The next day, we packed up some supplies and headed out to the stables. Muiri didn’t have a horse, and she was quite happy to sit in front of me. Once I had everything tied to the rear, I helped Muiri up before I mounted up behind her, and we began our slow journey north. With one hand holding the reins, my other was wrapped around my wife. Most of the time it was simply around her stomach, though she would occasionally grab my hand and it slide it under her top so I could fondle her breasts, and feeling rather naughty, I may have fondled her lower down as well. And if not fondling her, she would lean back against me so we could kiss.

The Rift was probably the most beautiful region of Skyrim, Muiri stating our ride along was rather romantic, but she was looking forward to a few days at the hot springs. The ride took most of the day, as there was no rush to get there, though I ensured there was still plenty of light so we could find a secluded spot with a large spring, and though we had food supplies, I did want to hunt so I could bag us some fresh meat.

Once we’d set up camp, the first thing we did was strip and head for the hot spring. The water was hotter than either of us expected, and when turning around to look at me, Muiri lowered her eyes and smiled.

“Muiri, the day I don’t have this reaction to you, take me out the back and put an arrow or two through me.”

“Need me to take care of that?”

“Not right now. Just take it as a compliment and, rest assured, I will always find you this exciting.”

“Just knowing you’re that hard will excite me.” She did reach forward to wrap her small hand almost around my shaft. “So big…” she whispered, “You’ll definitely have this inside me later?”

“Oh, most definitely, wife of mine.”

We didn’t do anything other than sit back and relax. Considering it was a naturally heated pool of water, the temperature remained constant, even when the sky started to darken and the temperature otherwise dropped. I did build a campfire for us when we would finally tire of the hot spring, Muiri only half-joking that she didn’t want to do anything else except sit in the hot spring or make love with me. I thought that sounded like a bloody good idea.

After we cooked dinner over the campfire, I dragged a few rugs out into the open, where we made love under the stars, Muiri ensuring I was lying down as she rode me so we could both look at the night sky. I made sure the tent was otherwise near the fire, though the hot springs alone provided plenty of warmth, and after a couple of rounds of love making, we were left feeling rather hot and sweaty, her skin glistening in the light of the fire. She constantly wanted my touch, not always in a suggestive way, but my hands were on her body nearly all the time, and if not talking, we were either kissing or her head rested against my body. If that was how our relationship would always be, then I would be content for the rest of my life.

I think we ended up spending a week in Eastmarch. To be honest, after the first day, we simply stopped counting, feeling in absolutely no rush to return to Riften. If not relaxing in the hot spring, we would make love. If not making love, we’d explore. Sometimes we’d dress to do that, other time we’d walk around nude. We did find other revellers, and more than once found others enjoying the pleasures of the flesh too, just as once or twice they walked by as Muiri and I were doing the same. There would be comments, perhaps a little laughter, and we’d just announce that we were newlyweds and taking time to enjoy each other.

Muiri had me chuckling when suggesting we hike to the nearest peak overlooking the entire region. It took a couple of hours, but once we made it to the top, she undressed, helped undress me, then got down on all fours as we took in the view, where she asked me to make love to her as we gazed across what felt like half of Skyrim. She wasn’t quiet either, crying out my name, and we both laughed hearing it echo across what sounded like all of Eastmarch. Doing it do openly and in daylight was rather exciting, so much so, that we returned a couple of other days, once so she could ride my face so she could take in the view alone, then returning the favour by getting down on her knees as I looked out across Eastmarch.

Neither of us wanted to leave. If it wasn’t for the fact we needed coin and supplies to survive, I think we’d have happily camped there forever. But when we finally ran out of supplies, and surviving on the meat I’d managed to hunt or trap ran low, we agreed that heading back to Riften would be the best idea. Our last night in camp was just like the first, making love by starlight. There was no urgency to do anything more than that. As soon as we returned to Riften, she would move into Riftweald with me and we would begin our lives together.

We slept under the stars too, me on my back, Muiri with her head nestled in that little gap between shoulder and head, her hand stroking my chest. We were both exhausted from a couple of very good climaxes. As I had joked, plenty of practice for when we wanted to try for children.

“I love you,” she whispered, “Do you have any idea how much?”

“I can take a guess.”

“I know we don’t talk about it, but you killed for me, Ragnar. I know it was a job, but…”

“It wasn’t. I did it for you, Muiri. I’d do it again too.”

She lifted her head as I turned mine to meet her eyes. “You’re serious?”

“I know you don’t have other enemies, but I’d do anything for you, Muiri.” She kissed me hard and I knew she was crying as I pulled her close. “Anything, Muiri,” I added softly, “All you need do is ask. Anything you want or need, I’ll move the heavens themselves to do it.”

“The only thing I want now is children, Ragnar,” she whispered back, running a hand down my cheek, “But what I can tell you in return is that my body is always yours. I will never say no.”

“All I want is your love, Muiri,” I replied, cupping a cheek with my hand, “I’ve never felt anything like this before. I was lonely for a long time, and tried filling the void the wrong way. Then I found you, and I haven’t felt those feelings of loneliness since. All I want is your love. I will love you just as much in return. And the last thing I want is for us to grow old together.”

She kissed me again before settling down, cuddling me as tightly as possible. Despite being married, if either of us had even slightly doubted how the other felt, those doubts were well and truly quashed. I hadn’t lied. I would do anything for her.

All we could do is hope and work to have the future we both so desperately wanted together.


	18. Domestic Bliss

Moving Muiri into Riftweald took barely a couple of hours as she didn’t need to move any furniture, only her clothes and personal mementoes. I’d bought her a wardrobe and a chest of drawers to hang her clothes in and the drawers for her more personal garments, and made sure she had plenty of space for any other personal effects. Aranea moved out and into her Muiri’s old place, which Muiri would still use as her personal shop, and a storage place for all her ingredients and potions. Aranea would split her time between my place and there. 

I was quite used to looking after myself, and even Aranea was left annoyed as I’d quite happily cook for myself. But Muiri slipped straight into the role of what I would called ‘domestic goddess’. Coming home after whatever I was doing, whether a day at the Guild or out hunting for game and hides, I would wander in to find Muiri already at the pit, cooking up a storm. She would always smile and greet me with a hug and kiss that would already want me wanting more. She knew exactly what she was doing too. Sometimes we’d have to move the pot so we could head upstairs and not worry about the food burning.

Most nights, we’d sit together on the porch and share a bottle of wine, Muiri nearly always sitting on my lap, leaning back against me. We would generally be sitting in darkness, though we’d still hear cries of ‘hello’ and ‘good evening’ from those who were passing by. There would be occasional visits to the Bee and Barb, but we found enjoyment in the presence of the other and were quite content to stay at home most of the time.

One evening, Muiri mentioned that she would like to go hunting with me. While surprised, I offered to show her how to use a bow and arrow. There was much laughter when she insisted she could use magic, left wondering how talented she was. Showing me the next day, I think I fell in love with her a little bit more, if it were possible. I had no idea she knew such spells!

“Why didn’t you tell me!?” I asked after almost burning down the entire forest. Not literally, but the fire spell she used was utterly destructive.

She shrugged, almost embarrassed. “I’ve never really had to show off. I’m an alchemist, not a mage.”

“You could be both. You could be… Still, I think you should learn the bow. There’s something noble about hunting an animal and taking it down with a simple wooden bow and arrow.”

Smirking, she leaned into me and asked, “You consider magic cheating?”

I made a gesture with fingers. “Maybe just a little.”

She relented quickly. “Okay, I’ll learn the bow, just for you.”

Teaching her the bow was a lot of fun, as it meant a whole lot of body contact. And, of course, that distracted us both, and half the time we ended up doing other things other than practicing her bow. Mostly just a lot of making out and cuddling, which would leave us laughing at the fact we were both so incredibly useless at times. But it was just a small sign of how happy we were together. I couldn’t remember an argument, barely a disagreement. We just seemed to always be on the same wavelength.

In addition to never going to bed even slightly angry, never leaving a room without saying I love you, and near constant affection for each other, there was no decrease at all in our intimacy. In fact, I think it increased and kept at the same level once we had rings on our fingers. Returning from Eastmarch, we would make love more often than not upon waking up, I would sometimes return home for lunch, where we’d fit in a hot, steamy ‘quickie’, and at night, well, we’d generally wear each other out and go to sleep with smiles on our faces.

Despite all the above, despite our near constant lovemaking and affection, the one topic we didn’t talk much about after the wedding was children. I think part of the reason was that we wanted to enjoy each other for as long as possible before introducing babies and little people to our lives, as we knew our lives would change once that happened. Not for the worst, but the idea of making love anywhere around our house would go out the window.

I’m sure it was at least three months after the wedding and our trip away to Eastmarch before we even thought about the idea again. For the first time in a long time, I detected some nerves when she sat down next to me, on the lounge in front of the fire. I could sense something was on her mind, so placed the book I was reading down on the table next to me before turning towards her. She took my hands in hers, eyes gazing into mine, and I could see something was on her mind.

“Ragnar, I want to start a family.”

“Okay.”

To me, it was that simple. My response made her laugh for a moment before she turned serious. “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely,” I replied, making sure I sounded as adamant as possible.

“You realise…” I cut off whatever she was going to say by kissing her. I felt her smile as I kissed her, so I think she understood why I chose to cut her off. We kissed for a while before finally breaking apart. Taking a deep breath, she stroked my cheek and said, “Well, that answers whatever question I was going to ask.”

“The thought of having children with you, Muiri, makes me ridiculously happy.”

Not wanting to waste any time, she grabbed me by the hand and led me upstairs. She suggested we needed more practice but her body needed to be ready too. Apparently she would need to ween herself of the potions before her body would be capable. I didn’t really understand, but she managed to dumb it down enough that it was a case of, once she was capable, I’d find myself rather exhausted, in a good way.

While my domestic life was indeed bliss, that didn’t stop me from continuing my work with the Guild. I tried not to find myself away from Riften for too long. In fact, I think Brynjolf went out of his way to ensure I was never away for longer than a night or two at most. I did find myself in Whiterun for a meeting with our contact there, and running into Ysolda was amusing and awkward all at once. Though I remembered each night we’d spent together fondly, and that was without us never having been intimate, I did have to politely remove her from my lap and explain I was now married. Though surprised, she was happy to hear the news.

Guild jobs were handled by others most of the time. Brynjolf kept the day to day operations going for me. Karliah looked after Nightingale business, particular further afield, outside of Skyrim, increasing our presence across Tamriel. We’d made connections with other Guilds throughout the continent, though some saw as competition rather than allies. While there were no threats stated, one or two Guilds told us to back off as the countries they were operating was there’s and they would allow no interference. So as the Guild ran smoothly, I could concentrate on tracking down more Daedric artefacts, though all Karliah and I did was make a list of where we heard rumours of shrines and would go from there.

We eventually had a list of possibilities. There was a shrine to Boethiah east of Windhelm. There was a shrine to Mehrunes Dagon far to the east of Morthal, high up in the mountains. Everyone warned me about even contemplating anything to do with Dagon, considering he was responsible for the Oblivion Crisis. But anything else was simply rumour, such as a shrine to Clavicus Vile in the mountains west of Riften, east of Falkreath, and a shrine to Vaermina not far from Dawnstar. But those were simply rumours, and would require investigation.

Visiting Karliah at her Hall, we were poring over a few books and scrolls, when she admitted her concerns. “Some of these we shouldn’t really be messing with, Ragnar.”

“Okay, you’ve warned me about anything to do with Mehrunes Dagon, and I’m willing to take your advice. But out of the list of Daedric princes, who else should we avoid?”

“Molag Bol.”

“Recognise the name. But I know little about him.”

“Some Daedra are not considered wholly evil, as you know. Molag Bol is evil personified. He isn’t known as the ‘King of Rape’, the ‘Harvester of Souls’, the ‘Lord of Brutality’, or the ‘Prince of Rage’ for no reason. He is responsible for vampirisim. My people detest him. He’s not someone you want to do anything for, Ragnar.”

“So I should avoid anything to do with him?”

“I would consider it a personal favour if you could, Ragnar.”

“Okay, Dagon and Molag are out. Anyone else?”

Karliah shrugged. “To be honest, it would probably depend on what they ask of you. I know we’ve done some dark shit at times, but there’s doing dark shit and that there’s _dark shit_.”

Chuckling, I said, “I know what you mean.”

“I take it you won’t want to go too far from Riften?”

She didn’t hide the friendly insinuation in her tone. She was well aware that I was happy. “I’m willing to put most of it on the back burner, Karliah. I’m quite happy staying near Riften.”

“And when will you be ready to head back out onto the road?”

“Honestly, maybe never.”

Karliah laughed herself. “So marriage is working for you?”

"Definitely.”

Grabbing my hand, she simply said, “I’m happy for you, Ragnar.”

I rarely spent more than one night away from Riften, and whenever I was away, Muiri would be all over me upon returning. I’d feel just the same, of course, as I hated sleeping alone, missing her presence beside me, whether I was sleeping in a tent or in an inn. She was slowly but surely weening herself off her potions with each week that passed, stating she couldn’t just stop taking them as the side-effects might leave her rather unwell.

After spending two nights away in Windhelm after Torsten Cruel-Sea asked for a meeting, concerned about possible growing Argonian influence regarding certain aspects of their trade, I returned home to plenty of love and affection from Muiri as always. After enjoying another home-cooked meal, and I always complimented her for her cooking, as it was simply fantastic, she told me I would be in for a surprise that night.

“Oh, what sort?”

She blushed, so I knew it was something naughty. Rising to her feet, she grabbed my hand and led me upstairs. Gesturing to the night stand, I noticed a potion bottle sitting there. It wasn’t the potion bottle she would drink the next morning. It was another sort of bottle I remembered rather well. Turning towards her, I could only ask, “Are you sure?”

“Definitely. My body is nearly ready, Ragnar, so I wanted to give you this before we started trying for a baby.”

I pulled her towards me, lifting her chin with a finger. “I might hurt you.”

Smiling, she said, “No, you won’t. You will make sure it’s nothing but a pleasure for me, Ragnar. I know you well enough by now. Trust me, I want this. I want you to do it. Maybe just this once, but if I like it, maybe we can do it again in the future. But I’ve been thinking about it. I remembered feeling you tease me there when we were up on that hill in Eastmarch. There was a small part of me that wanted you to just stick it in and take it, but I knew you’d never do that to me.”

“Are you ready?”

“I’ve prepared before you got home.” She grabbed my hand and slid it under her skirt. I couldn’t help smile as my fingers came back wet. She wasn’t wearing panties. She often didn’t around the house, quite happy for me to walk up behind her, lift her skirt, and simply tease her half the time. “I’ve been thinking about it all day. No, that’s a lie. I’ve been thinking about it for quite a while now, but I thought this would make a nice surprise on your return home.”

“Best. Wife. Ever.”

Helping each other undress, she wasn’t surprised to see my erection spring free when removing my underwear. As I’d told her, the day I didn’t have one around her was the day I should just be put down. She happily dropped to her knees, though I said I didn’t want to finish, so we ended up on the bed so I could return the favour. We didn’t try and bring each other to climax. She’d more than proven that she simply loved to blow me, as much as I was willing to go down on her. Sometimes we’d tease each other, bringing each other to the brink before stopping. Doing that throughout the day drove us wild by the time we went to bed in the evening. It was a lot of fun most of the time, simply increasing our desire for each other.

Spinning around so she could kiss me for a moment, I slid her off my body as she got on all fours, looking sideways at me with a smile. “How tiny do I look when you’re behind me, Ragnar?”

“I sometimes wonder where my cock goes when inside you.”

She laughed loudly at my reply. “Well, it always feels good.”

Grabbing the potion bottle, I sat on my knees behind her, just gazing down her body. Her arse was perfect, running hand over both her cheeks, giving each a gentle squeeze. Running my hands down her back, enjoying the softness of her skin, I pulled her up against me so I could kiss her, running my lips down to her neck, giving her a gentle bite, my hands fondling her breasts at the same time. She could feel my erection press into her back. “You’re teasing me,” she breathed.

“I know. I want you as turned on as possible before I do this.”

“You’re worried?” I nodded and that earned nothing but the heart-warming smile I was used to. “I’m not worried at all, husband. I love you, and I trust you.” Resting again on her hands and knees, she wiggled her butt. “Now, enough teasing, Ragnar.”

Uncorking the bottle, I poured a little oil down her back towards her arse. She giggled, stating it was a little cold, though complimented me on my warm hands once I started to gently rub the oil into her body. I was no expert at giving a massage, but I judged how well I was doing by her body language, though I was soon spending plenty of time down in her lower part of her body, and when I lowered my mouth to her arse, she gasped when she felt my tongue for the first time.

“Oh my,” she whispered, “I wasn’t expecting…”

“Do you like it?”

“Oh yes, keep going.”

Using my mouth on her arse, I gently fondled her pussy at the same time, though she did say she didn’t want too much focus on that. But she certainly loved what I did with my tongue, as much as I loved teasing her. But there was only so much teasing both of us could take, and when I prodded a finger at her rear, she looked back with a smile, waiting until she nodded.

She clenched as I inserted a finger, so I used my other hand to run up and down her back. She loved it when I did that, and she relaxed, allowing me to gently slide my finger in and out of her. I let her just get used to that feeling, again judging her body language and her reactions before sliding in a second. That caused her to gasp and she moaned rather loudly a little later. “Do you like that?” I asked for my own reassurance.

“Yes,” she hissed quietly.

“My cock will feel… um…”

“Better?”

“Maybe.”

She definitely enjoyed two fingers, lowering her head down to lift her arse a little more. I remained gentle, sliding them in and out, noticing she had positioned herself so she could watch me. I pulled my fingers out for a moment and held up three. She laughed again but nodded her head. I kept watching her face as I slid the three in. Her eyes closed as a look of bliss otherwise crossed her face. “Ragnar,” she breathed.

“Another couple of minutes then I think you’ll be ready.”

“I’m ready for you now, but you know what you’re doing.”

I’m glad she had that much confidence in me! But I’ll also admit, I was now ready to make love to her in a different way. Removing my fingers, I quickly lubed myself up and pressed the head of my cock to her arse. With a hand on her hips to hold her in place, I gently pressed forward. She reacted by moving away, immediately apologised, and moved back towards me. I pressed forward again, and the head of my cock disappeared inside her. She made a loud gasp, so I stopped straight away, letting her get used to it.

“Holy… You feel enormous…”

“I did tell you!”

“No, it’s fine.”

I waited a minute before sliding a little more in. With both hands now on her hips, I continued to judge her reactions as she adapted to my size in a completely new orifice. The look on her face suggested she was enjoying it, though it was also hurting a little. I stopped and asked, “Are you okay?”

Opening her eyes, the smile was nothing but loving. “Oh, definitely. I’m sure I’ll get used to it eventually.”

I didn’t insert my entire length, and slowly, very slowly, started to thrust into her. She got back on her hands and knees, so I moved one hand from her hip to her shoulder. She kissed my hand and looked back again, asking for my entire length. “I know you’re holding back, Ragnar.”

“I’m just being careful, Muiri.”

She sat up and back against my chest, wrapping an arm around me and dragging me down to kiss her. Putting her lips to my ear, she whispered, “I trust you, Ragnar. And I want you to do this. I want you to fuck me. Fuck your wife in her arse. Can you do that for me, please?”

“Okay. But if it gets too much…”

“Then I’ll ask you to stop, and I know you’ll do so immediately.”

She returned to all fours, wiggling her arse as a suggestion for me to do as she asked. Now placing both hands on her shoulders, as he really was that small compared to me, I buried my cock entirely. She groaned loudly when I did that. I didn’t fuck her too hard, but I did as she asked. My wife got her arse fucked… gently. Well, gently-ish.

I didn’t last long. Her arse was far too tight, and the fact Muiri had so willingly given it to me was just too much for me. But I enjoyed it while it lasted, Muiri having to lie her head down so I followed her, changing the angle which caused her to cry out, though she quickly told me to keep going. Lowering my head down towards her ear, I quietly said, “Do you like your husband’s cock in your arse?”

Her eyes met mine as she retorted, “Is he going to cum soon?”

I couldn’t help chuckle. “Very soon.”

“Good. You can cum, then we can relax, then I’m going on top next time.”

Just the thought of Muiri riding me, my cock buried in her arse, was enough to send me to the brink. Muiri’s legs gave out, her body now flat against the bed. She told me to keep going, my cock seeming to go ever deeper inside her. I was now fucking her harder, but she told me to keep going and cum for her. My lips still near her ear, I told her I loved her.

Then I came.

I know I passed out from the sheer bliss of it. Or, at least, I’m pretty sure I did. When I came to, I quickly rolled off her and grabbed a towel that Muiri had left on the bedside table. Muiri remained how she was lying, looking at me as I turned onto my side, running my hand up and down her back. “I love you too,” she whispered.

“Are you okay?”

“Ragnar, I loved it. Yes, it hurt a little, but it was always going to. But I wanted to do it, for me and for you.”

“Thank you.”

She smiled, leaning over to kiss me. “No thanks are necessary. We can simply add this to things we can do together from time to time. Though perhaps not too often. Can’t have you in my arse becoming a habit.”

I needed a little recovery time. No, that’s a lie. I needed longer than usual, though Muiri knew what to do to get me hard again, sliding up onto my body so we could make out, my hands immediately running up and down her back, the oil I’d used now mixed with her sweat. Rubbing herself against my cock, it didn’t take all that long to get the desired reaction, feeling her smile as my cock started to harden.

Grabbing the bottle, she lubed my cock up again before adding a little more to herself. I felt her position my cock at her rear entrance again as she leaned down to kiss me. Feeling myself again enter her, she gasped into my mouth as I groaned into hers, causing both of us to laugh. She wasted little time taking my entire length, and once she was happy, I pulled her down against me, continuing to kiss her, gently thrusting up into her.

“I thought I would be in control,” she said, gently admonishing me.

“Well… Okay then,” I replied, letting her go. She sat up, watching her face as she felt my entire length again, resting her hands on my chest as she slowly started to ride me.

Haelga had been my Nord goddess. Muiri was my Breton goddess. No, she was just my goddess, the most beautiful woman I’d ever been intimate with. I sometimes had to pinch myself at how lucky I was. By rights, a woman like her should never have been interested in someone like myself. Certainly shouldn’t be my wife. And definitely not have allowed her husband to slide his above average sized cock into her rather tiny arse.

She didn’t ride me too hard or fast. She did enough just to enjoy the sensations. Unsure if she would climax from it, she did grab my hand, sucking my thumb for a moment, before resting it near her pussy. “Play with me,” she requested quietly, “Maybe my clit. Just not too much.”

Doing that caused the desired reaction, as she started to ride me a lot faster than I expected. Add to that, she was also make quite a lot of noise, her cries of elation, my name and her love for me quite erotic, and a turn on for me in return. She hadn’t been riding me all that long, with my thumb now teasing her, I think it was getting a little much.

“I’m going to cum,” she warned.

“Can you keep going?”

She nodded. “Uh-huh. You’re cumming in me again before we’re done.”

Ever told you how much I love my wife?

When she came, she came hard. The sort of orgasm that caused her entire body to shake and writhe on top of me before she simply collapsed. The sort of orgasm that made her smile, even giggle in her happiness. The sort of orgasm that also caused a few tears. She didn’t do that often, but there was the occasional time when we had such a connection, shit, she even got to me at times.

She simply had to stop, lying down on top of me again, feeling her take a number of deep breaths as I gently held her. I didn’t move my hands otherwise as she was simply too sensitive for anything else, though I was still buried in her arse. “My god, that was a good one,” she whispered.

“Well, can’t have sex without my wife having at least one good orgasm.”

"I usually have more than you, Ragnar.”

“That’s because I’m a very loving husband.”

“Want another one?”

“To be honest, no. I’ve enjoyed myself, but I’d rather clean up, lie here with you, then make love tomorrow morning.”

She agreed, kissed me again, before we spent a little time cleaning up then cuddled under the blankets. She admitted to feeling slightly tender after the nights’ exertions, though insisted that she would want to do it again in the future. I said I would always be willing to do it as long as she wanted to, though joked that it wasn’t the correct way to make babies. That made her crack up in laughter. She then turned around to face me and made a promise. “We will make love every night, even after I’ve had children, Ragnar.”

“That’s quite the promise.”

“You really think I’ll want to stop what we share?”

“No, but having a child or children will change things.”

“Perhaps, but that is my intention, Ragnar.”

“I appreciate the thought but I won’t hold you to it. I’ll be happy as long as you’re here with me.”

“And you are just too sweet for your own good sometimes.”

“That’s why you married me.”

“One of the many reasons.”

We slept well, and upon waking the next morning, we made love again, this time my cock finding itself in its much more usual home. With her legs wrapped around me, arms around the back of my neck, she said that she would only need one more bottle that morning, then we could begin trying for a child.

It was something for both of us to look forward to.

* * *

I’m not sure if it’s possible for a man and woman, or a husband and wife, to have too much sex. But by the Eight, after the day Muiri stopped taking her morning potion, she was all over me. We had a lot of sex as it was. Every evening, as she’d promised. At least one every second morning. And sometimes just when we were in the mood during the day. Considering we lived alone, and Aranea visited infrequently, quite content running the shop for Muiri when she wasn’t there, Muiri and I could make love wherever and whenever we wanted. And, at times, she wanted it all the time, almost desperate to fall pregnant.

I had no reason to complain, but a man can only take so much at times, and just occasionally, it felt like I was starting to shoot blanks, and I would start to get a little sore, left wondering how she wasn’t sore either. “Oh, I am, Ragnar,” she said when I made that point, “But it’s going to be worth it.”

Three months after she stopped taking potions, Muiri started to feel sick. Me not knowing anything about pregnancy nor its symptoms, I naturally worried about her. She assured me that she was fine, but hearing her being sick each morning wasn’t a nice experience. I thought it was to do with her stopping her potions, and her bodies reaction to it. Little did I know.

Four months after she stopped taking potions, she said she would go to the temple and see one of the healers. Now I well and truly fretted, asking what was wrong with her. She smiled at my concern, kissed my cheek, and assured me everything was fine, she just wanted to get a check-up.

“Want me to join you?”

“No, Ragnar. You stay here. I’ll be back soon.” She read my face and the obvious concern. So she kissed me again, the sort that had me holding her against my body and possibly rising to the occasion. “I’m fine, Ragnar. Trust me,” she said softly, “Just want a check-up. My health is important.”

“Okay… You’ll tell me if there is anything wrong when you get back?”

“I will.”

I couldn’t sit still while she was gone, wearing a groove into the ground as I circled the house again and again. She was gone for a while, maybe an hour or so, but I was relieved when she returned, a smile still on her face, so I figured she’d been given a full bill of health. After placing her things on the table, she immediately came to me, grabbed my hand, and led me to the lounge by the fire. Sitting me down, she turned towards me, taking both my hands in hers.

“Ragnar, I have something to tell you.” She said it so seriously, I immediately thought the worse. It obviously showed on my face, so she leaned up to kiss me, I guess to assure me everything was fine. “Ragnar, I’m with child.”

“What?” That wasn’t what I wanted to say. A natural reaction to such surprising news. “I mean, you’re sure?”

“What do you know about pregnancy, Ragnar?”

“Pretty much nothing.”

My honesty gave her a little chuckle. “Remember how I was sick every morning a few weeks ago?” I nodded, so she continued. “That’s a symptom. I thought I was pregnant then, but I wanted to be sure. So I waited a few weeks before there were further signs. The healer has confirmed it, Ragnar. Right now, there is life growing inside me.” She grabbed my hand and slid it under her top, onto her stomach. “You won’t feel it yet, but somewhere around there, a little boy or girl will form, and in around six months’ time, we’ll have a son or daughter.”

I wept. I can easily admit that I held my wife in my arms and wept at the news. So did she. Seeing me weep set her off big time, both of us starting to laugh at our reactions before we shared one of the most loving kisses I could remember. I guess news such as she just shared would always heighten the feelings.

After drying my cheeks, I was immediately full of questions. The most important one I thought of was, “What do I need to do to help?”

“At the moment, just continue to do what you do. But I will start getting bigger, and things will get more difficult for me. But considering how kind and considerate you already are, I don’t think I’ll have to ask you to do a thing. You’ll do them because, when it comes to me, you are always thinking, more than you realise.”

“Can we keep having sex?”

Another chuckle before she replied in a tone that I liked, “Oh, most definitely. Would it bother you fucking a pregnant woman?”

“Nope. Not if it’s you.”

“Good. Because my stomach will obviously get bigger as the baby grows. But my boobs will get bigger too.” I smiled without knowing as she gave me a playful shove. “I thought you loved my boobs now?” She feigned hurt in her tone.

“I do. But I wouldn’t mind seeing how big they get.”

She smiled before removing one of her hands, leading me towards the stairs, suggesting we should celebrate the news in the usual way. It’s not like she could get pregnant again anyway. Lying upstairs a little later, both of us rather exhausted after our exertions, I asked if it would be okay to share the news. Muiri said it should be okay to tell others now, as according to the healer, the pregnancy had ‘taken’. I didn’t quite understand what that meant. Muiri just told me that sometimes pregnancies can fail to ‘take’.

The first thing we needed was space for a child. So for the first time since Muiri moved in, I opened the doors to the Dibellan room. Everything inside was untouched, but I didn’t want to throw anything away. I’d spent good money on it and I knew someone who might want at least some of the things. Letting Muiri know my plan, I headed to the Bunkhouse for the first time in what felt like months. Walking in the door, Haelga was the counter. I hadn’t seen her in quite a while, and the first thing she did was walk around and hug me tightly.

“Gods, I’ve missed you, Ragnar.”

“Me too, Haelga, me too. Are you well?”

“I could complain about one certain thing, but that would just put a downer on your visit. Can we just hug for a little while? Would that be wrong?”

“Not at all.”

Resting her head on my chest, I stroked her hair as I felt her hands gently stroke my back. I’d missed her in my life despite my devotion to Muiri, but I hadn’t seen her that often, simply due to temptation. I wasn’t a weak man, but Haelga would always be a temptation to me, and I knew I’d break if I saw her too often. I still loved her, but it wasn’t the fact I still had those feelings for her. It was the fact that a little part of me still wanted to do all the nasty, naughty things we’d once done together.

“You wouldn’t visit without a reason, Ragnar, and I know it’s not because you want to fuck me.” She lifted her head to look at me. “Though part of me still wishes you would.”

I chuckled at her honesty. The longing in her voice did sadden me though. “Have you not…”

“No.” I winced at her blunt tone. “Okay, a slight lie. I tried with one man, but he wasn’t you, Ragnar. I’m half tempted to give up on men and become a lesbian.”

“Seriously?”

“No, because I’d still desire someone’s cock.” She let me go and stepped back. “I should stop there, otherwise I’ll get too worked up or upset. So, what are you here for?”

“Well, actually… um…”

Now it was her turn to laugh. “You can tell me, Ragnar. I’m not going to…”

“Muiri is pregnant.”

She hugged me again, but I knew she was crying within a few seconds. I didn’t feel guilty, but I should have known the news would be hard for her to take. When we had been close, we had discussed marriage and children, and Haelga had always said she didn’t want to marry again, nor did she desire to have children. That didn’t mean she would take the news I wanted to share any easier. “Sorry. I’m happy for you, the both of you, but…”

“Don’t apologise, Haelga. I understand. But now I’m going to feel like a right arse for what I’m about to ask.”

“About what?”

“Well, we’re going to turn the Dibella room into a nursery, and I need to move some of the things in there. Everything, to be honest.”

She started to laugh. “Sure, I’ll take them off your hands. I might even find a use for some of the things. Do you still have all the toys?”

“I do. Untouched since our last time.”

“Well, I can put those to good use at least. As for everything else, I’ll take them off your hands at least.”

“Thanks, Haelga.” She eventually released me and took a step back, using a sleeve to dry her cheeks. “Would you like to come around for dinner one night? I know it might…”

“I’d love to, Ragnar. Let me know when. And give Muiri my congratulations for me too.”

“I will. When can I start bringing things across?”

“Any time is fine. If you want to bring the toys today, I won’t complain. I’ll fuck myself thinking about you.” I just smiled, as I knew she would. Then I wondered, and my face reflected my thoughts, as she added, “Every time, Ragnar. Every single damned time.”

“I feel I should apologise or something.”

“You should for ruining the chances of finding a man who comes anywhere close to the standards you set. But one of my dildo’s is a perfect reminder of you, so while I can complain, at least I can still enjoy rather nice orgasms with something similar.”

One thing Haelga would always be with me was honest. And I’ll admit it was a turn on to know she still thought of me like that. I moved everything from the Dibella room to her place over the next couple of days. She asked for some of the restraints to be attached to her bed, another to the wall. I happily did as she asked, before I brought across all the toys. She did offer to put on a show for me with one of the larger dildos. Part of me wanted to say yes, but it wasn’t a good idea. Watching wouldn’t be cheating, or so I thought, but I couldn’t just watch her. I’d want to join in. So I invited her to dinner for that night, and she readily accepted.

It wasn’t as awkward as I thought it would be. I had been with Haelga before meeting Muiri, so she was aware of our history. Muiri was also more than aware of the sort of relationship I’d shared with Haelga. So it should come as little surprise that Muiri showed some interest in that, and this was without having consumed any wine, considering she had stopped drinking alcohol since finding out she was pregnant.

So Muiri asked, and Haelga had no problem with being absolutely honest about what we’d got up to. I sat back, rather amused by it, and if I judged my wife correctly, she slowly but surely got turned on by it all.

“What about anal?” Muiri asked of her.

“Have you done it with him?”

“Just the once.”

“And what did you think? How was it?”

“He… He felt so big. His cock is big as it is, but in my arse, it was like something else entirely. But he was so gentle too, even when I asked him to fuck me.”

I noticed Haelga smile. “I didn’t ask for gentle when he fucked me there.”

“No?”

“Oh no, Muiri. I wanted it hard. I wanted it rough. Pound me until I scream. Pull my hair. Slap my arse. Call me his whore. Chain me to the wall and just ruin me. I wanted him to hurt me.”

Muiri looked at me. I just shrugged my shoulders. “She loved it, Muiri.”

“I did. I remember all those times fondly. Fucking my mouth so I’d choke on his cock. Blasting his cum on my face or down my throat. And don’t get me wrong, I loved him in my pussy but, by the Eight, could this man fuck my arse well. I loved walking home, feeling so tender, I couldn’t sit down all day. Or we’d fuck in the morning so he’d cum in me, and I’d feel it leaking out all day.”

Muiri looked at me. “Ragnar, I have to admit, I’m almost tempted to watch you do it. Just to see…”

I shook my head. “Before I put that ring on your finger or a baby inside you, I would have agreed.”

“Are you sure?”

“I am.”

“Don’t worry, Muiri. I have a couple of toys that are adequate replacements for the real thing. I do miss his strikes with the cane though.”

We ended up sitting by the fire, Muiri and Haelga sitting together. My wife was by now very turned on, though she was managed to control herself. Haelga’s cheeks were flushed, I think from the wine and also the conversation, and Muiri kept dropping hints about me fucking Haelga. I kept saying no. I wasn’t going down that road again.

Haelga eventually had to go home, freely admitting she was horny and needed to take care of herself. She hugged me tightly before leaving, whispering in my ear that she would be thinking about me. I didn’t really know what to say to that, so simply kissed her cheek and wished her goodnight. Once Muiri and I were alone, she practically dragged me upstairs, where I was stripped naked by an incredibly turned on pregnant woman, pushed onto the bed, where my wife proceeded to mount me and ride herself to an orgasm so quickly, I was left rather astounded by it.

Life was indeed bliss. I had a loving wife, who I absolutely adored. She was carrying my child, who I was so ever eager to meet. We feel a little more in love with each passing day. To say we were happy would be an understatement, but it’s the easiest word to describe us.

Little did I realise my dream was about to come crashing down.


	19. Dreams & Nightmares

Muiri was seven months pregnant when… 

If I hadn’t shared those drinks with Sam, maybe it wouldn’t have all gone wrong. It’s my fault. Everything that happened is my fault. But I guess I have to start at the beginning. That fateful night in the Bee and Barb… 

Muiri was now quite large carrying our child, and while she still endeavoured to do everything she’d always done, it was now far more tiring, and she took more naps than usual. I certainly helped out where I could to ease the strain. She would generally head to bed earlier than usual the longer the pregnancy went on, but she kept her word about our love making. Some positions were clearly out of the question the further on her pregnancy, but we found her riding me worked well for both of us. She would then want me to hold her until she fell asleep, though was happy for me to leave and perhaps head out if I wanted to. 

That fateful night, I wandered into the Bee and Barb with the intention of just having a tankard, perhaps catching up on some local gossip, while I received plenty of questions about how Muiri was and how long until she would give birth. Sitting at my usual table, I was content to sit back against the wall and just sip my tankard when I was approached by a stranger. In his hand was a strange looking staff. Offering his hand, he introduced himself as Sam, and I returned the favour. 

Then he offered a challenge, a drinking contest for the staff he held. “I’m not a mage,” I said. 

“Oh, this staff is special, Ragnar. Trust me, you’ll want this staff.” 

“What does it do?” 

“Hmmm. How can I put this simply? If you use the staff, you’ll always have a friend at your beck and call.” 

“What are we drinking?” 

“Just ale. You up for it?” 

“Sure. I can handle my ale.” 

No, I could not handle my ale last night. I remember enjoying three before everything turned black. I’m fairly sure my drink was spiked by something because I can usually drink double that amount and still return home, get hard and enjoy some time with my wife. 

I woke up later, I have no idea how much later, my head pounding so badly, I wanted the sweet release of death. Instead, after groaning to myself, I found myself under verbal attack. “Wake up! That's right, it's time to wake up, you drunken blasphemer!” 

Managing to drag my body into a sitting position, I was surprised to see I was now dressed in my scaled armour. My sword and shield were on the ground next to me. Looking around, nothing looked particularly familiar, though I had a bad feeling I was in Markarth. And that left me wondering just what in oblivion I’d done. 

“Blasphemer?” I had to ask. 

“I see. So you don't remember fondling the statuary, then?” 

Looking around, I recognised quite a few things, particular the aforementioned statue. I was in a Temple of Dibella. The only one I knew of was in Markarth, so that was clarification of where I was. So the next question to myself was ‘How the hell did I end up here?’ 

“I don’t remember that,” I muttered. 

“I'm guessing you also don't remember coming in here and blathering incoherently about marriage or a goat. Which means you don't remember losing your temper and throwing trash all over the temple.” 

Marriage? Was I talking about Muiri or… The same question of what had I done floating through my mind. “I'm sorry, I don't even remember how I got here.” 

It must have been something in my tone, as she surprisingly relented. There was no smile, but her tone softened. “Well, you were deep in your cups when you got here. You were ranting but most of it was slurred. You said something about Rorikstead.” 

Managing to stand up, taking a few moments to stop swaying and prevent myself being sick, I helped the priestess clean up the mess I’d made, offered her a few coins, admitting that I did worship Dibella myself. She was surprised at that, as males generally worshipped one of the other Divines, though I wasn’t going to go into great graphic detail about why I did. 

During my clean-up, I’d found a note signed by Sam, stating that to fix the staff I was promised, I needed a list of things, all of which I’d collected inside the temple. I had a small pack I could throw those things, and again thanking the priestess for her understanding, I headed out into Markarth. No-one recognised me as I walked towards the city gates and I was left wondering how I’d get to Rorikstead. 

I thanked the Eight when walking towards the stables and noticed my horse was there, leaving me even further confused, as all my camping supplies were tied to its rear as usual. I asked the stable-hand, “Do you remember seeing me last night?” 

He laughed. “Oh yes, you and your friend were very drunk.” 

“Friend? Do you mean Sam?” 

He shrugged. “Never got his name. But he wandered off as you walked into the city.” 

Shit, that’s what I didn’t want to hear. I didn’t care about the staff, I just wanted to know what else I’d done, and only he could answer my questions. I had a queasy feeling I’d done some rather stupid things, and wanted answers. The other part of me figured I should just head back to Riften and forget about it. Though I also worried about Sam. If he was as drunk as I apparently had been, then who knows what condition he was in. 

Mounting my horse, I still felt rather woozy, though I found some dried meat in my supplies, so chewed on that as I rode along. The ride to Rorikstead took most of the day, though it was still light when tying up my horse outside the inn. Walking inside, I’d barely approached the bar when I felt a hand on my shoulder. 

“You bastard!” the voice stated angrily, the hand turning me around. “You've got a lot of nerve showing yourself in this town again. What do you have to say for yourself?” 

It came as no real surprise I’d pissed someone off, though I didn’t recognise the man at all. “Look, I don’t even remember being here. What in oblivion are you talking about?” 

The fact I was clueless just seemed to rile him even more. “Is that so? Does the name Gleda ring a bell? The star beauty of my farm? Kidnapped by a drunk lout and sold to a giant? So you'd better remember her right fast, before I call the guards and have you hauled away.” 

“Well, I don’t really want that…” 

“You're damned right you don’t. I'll never breed another prize-winning goat like Gleda! And don't you think of coming back to Rorikstead until you get her back from that Giant.” 

“Well, I’m not doing that. But, you see, I need to find my friend and his staff to get your prized goat back. No staff, no goat.” 

He remained silent for at least a couple of minutes, no doubt thinking about what to do with me. Finally, he sighed before replying. “I suppose that makes sense. You didn't mention a Sam and nothing you said about the staff made sense. You left a note but it was mostly gibberish, the only bit I could make out was ‘after repaying Ysolda in Whiterun.’” 

Crap, what else had I done? 

Thanking the man for his understanding, I headed outside and mounted my horse. It was getting dark, and it was a few hours to Whiterun, but I was closing in on an answer to everything I’d done, all apparently in one night. A fine mist was descending by the time I made it to Whiterun stables, glad I’d packed a coat to wrap around myself. It had been a while since I’d been out on the road, and I was already feeling saddle sore once I’d dismounted. The city was deserted at this time of night, but Saadia was still awake when walking into the Bannered Mare, and I paid the few coin required for a room. 

I felt much better the next morning, particularly after gorging myself on the breakfast offered. Wandering outside, I took a deep breath of fresh air. My mind was working once again, and the aches and pains of the previous day had most disappeared. Better yet, Ysolda was busy at work in the market, so I headed straight for her, though I was taken aback when her face fell upon seeing me.

“So, you're finally back. Look, I've been patient, but you still owe me.” 

“Ysolda, can I be honest? I have no idea what I owe you for.” 

“It's not even about the money, really. I wouldn't have given you the wedding ring on credit if you weren't so obviously in love. But if there isn't going to be a wedding, the least you can do is give the ring back. That was one of my best pieces.” 

“Wedding? Ysolda, I’m already married.” 

“From what you were saying, Muiri didn’t even exist. Don’t you remember who it was for?” 

“Well, Muiri already has a ring.” I groaned, wondering who in oblivion I could have been talking about. “Okay, let’s just forget about who it was for. This wedding ring, do you know what I did with it?” 

“You went right out to give it to your new fiancé! Don't you even remember where you left her? And after you told me that sweet story of how you met in Witchmist Grove! I can see why she left you.”

“Witchmist Grove? Where in Skyrim is that?” 

“Eastmarch, I believe.” 

“Eastmarch!? By Ysmir, how long was I on this bender for?” I grabbed one of her hands. “Please, Ysolda. Obviously my memory of last night, or however long all this has gone on, is rather fuzzy. I’m having trouble remembering a lot of what happened. Can you do me a favour and tell me everything you know? Please?” 

She relented easily, a smile forming. “It’s a good thing I like you, Ragnar. If I didn’t…” 

“I’ll get the ring back for you, I just want to know everything that happened.” 

“Okay, apart from your fiancé in Witchmist Grove, you said the ceremony was going to be at Morvunskar.” 

After consulting a couple of maps up at the inn, I figured I could get to Witchmist Grove within a day, and then head north to Morvunskar. Thanking Ysolda for the information, and assuring her I’d return with the ring, I headed out straight away. The map hadn’t given a precise location of the grove, but it was within the area of the hot springs. Arriving around mid-afternoon, I approached a couple of bathers and asked about the grove. They at least knew of it, and managed to point me in the right direction. 

Finding the cabin wasn’t too difficult. It was what was greeting me outside the cabin that caused my stomach to lurch, and I near enough threw up all the food I’d consumed that day. My blushing bride was what I knew to be a Hagraven. I’d never seen one before but I’d been told about them before. My hand was immediately at the hilt of my sword as I cautiously approached. What made me feel even worse is that she recognised me. 

“Darling! I've been waiting for you to return, to consummate our love!” 

“That’s not happening, whatever your name is. Give me the ring back and we can just forget all about this.” 

“What? You want it for that hussy Esmerelda, with the dark feathers, don't you? I won't let her have you!” 

No idea who Esmerelda was. Didn’t care. But I knew Hagravens had magic and could be utterly vicious when provoked, so before she could even think about attacking me, I struck first. It was a lucky strike, as it spun her around and she hit the ground face first, and she didn’t rise after I put my sword through her back. I wasted little time searching her body to find the ring. Once I had that in hand, I mounted my horse and headed to Windhelm. I knew Morvunskar was close by, but with night falling and the weather closing in, I needed to relax before heading to the fort. If they were like every other fort in Skyrim, they would either be full of Imperial or Stormcloak soldiers, who I’d have to persuade to let me in, or full of bandits, who I’d just kill. 

Heavy snowfall had blanketed the landscape overnight and the wind was bitter, cutting through my coat, I was mounted my horse the next morning. I had asked about Morvunskar at the inn the previous night, and had been warned that the place was infested with mages, who performed all sort of nasty experiments on those unlucky enough to fall into their hands. I managed to find someone to tie up my horse at the bottom of the hill leading up to the fort. There were guards on the walls, lining those up with my bow. I managed to take down two, drawing their attention, the rest deciding the best course of action was to head in my direction. Lining them up and taking each of them down was too easy. I was left thinking mages were idiots. 

Inside the fort, I put away my bow, figuring that working a sword and shield would be better inside the confined spaces. There were still plenty of mages, and it was only when having to take on more than one at a time that it was a problem. Those who were experts in fire were a real concern, laughing off those who used frost attacks. Those who used sparks or lightning were bastards, and I made sure to decapitate them when I got close enough. 

With no real idea what I was looking for, I ended up wandering the empty halls, looking for any sign of Sam, but I didn’t find a thing. At least, I didn’t until breaking into a room, where I was greeted by… I’m not sure what it was. Some sort of magical sphere. It glowed brightly when I approached it, and figuring I had no real choice, it was either this or just heading back home, I stepped into the sphere. 

As always, there was a bright light, and I found myself somewhere else. Where? No idea. But there was a serenity, a calmness about the place, that made me feel completely relaxed in seconds. I could hear music playing, the bubbling brook nearby, and I heard conversation in the distance. The path was lit by lanterns, following it along, feeling a smile creep across my face as I strolled along. 

Walking out into an open area, there was a large table, at which plenty were sat eating and drinking. And standing at the head of the table, as if waiting for my arrival, was Sam. 

“You're here! I was beginning to think you might not make it.” 

I strode forward to shake his hand. Any anger I might have felt about having to traipse across Skyrim had disappeared. “Bloody hell, what a few days that was. But where are we?” 

“I thought you might not remember your first trip here. You had a big night. I think you've definitely earned the staff.” 

“Ah, the staff. To be honest, I wasn’t that worried about it. I just wanted to find you, make sure you were okay…” I held up my small pack, “Though I did grab everything needed, just in case.” 

“Oh, the Hagraven feather and so on. You can throw all those out. You see...” He was enveloped by a black mist, it disappearing in seconds. “I really just needed something to encourage you to go out into the world and spread merriment. And you did just that! I haven't been so entertained in at least a hundred years!” 

“Who are you?” 

“I am Sanguine, Daedric Prince of Debauchery! I know, I know, how could I lie to you? Well, how could I trust you until we've shared a few drinks? But it wasn't long before I realised you'd make a more interesting bearer of my not-quite-holy staff than this waste of flesh.” 

“Ah, I guess you’re aware of my hunt for artefacts?” 

“Most of us are, Ragnar. So I figured I’d have some fun with you at the same time. But, no, you’ve more than earned my staff.” 

“Well, thanks… I think…” 

“My pleasure. But I think it's time for you to go. No fun keeping you locked up in here with the staff.” 

Before I could reply, there was the usual bright light, and I found myself back outside Morvunskar, holding the staff. I looked at it, intrigued as to what it was and what it would do, though I wasn’t going to mess around with it. Looking around, it appeared not a minute had passed since I’d taken down the first mage, so I mounted my horse, pointed it in the direction of home, and off we went. 

It was night by the time I dismounted at the stables outside Riften. It had been a long few days, crossing from the far west of Skyrim before turning north to Windhelm. It had been quite a few months since I’d properly hit the open road, and despite being left to wonder what else I might had done, I did find myself enjoying it most of the time. 

I headed straight home. I’m not sure how many days it had been since I’d headed out for what I had intended to be a solitary drink. I expected my wife to be a little unhappy with me, as I would assume I’d disappeared without a word. Walking into the house, I was greeted by a few people. Aranea. Ingun. Maven. Brynjolf. Vex. Delvin. Brynjolf rose to his feet, and he looked… 

“What’s wrong?” I asked, a bad feeling immediately nestling in my stomach. 

“Where have you been, lad?” 

“It’s a long story. What’s wrong? Where’s Muiri?” 

Brynjolf opened his mouth but couldn’t say anything. Aranea rose to her feet and walked towards me. “I found her this morning, Ragnar.” 

“What do you mean ‘found her’? Where is she? Where is my wife?” 

I brushed by them and headed upstairs, calling her name. Walking into the bedroom, there was no sign of her. I walked into the nursery, no sign of her there either. I looked around the entire house, my calls becoming ever more frantic. It felt like some sort of sick joke was being played on me. ‘Found her’? Of course they’d find her in our home. Where else would she be? 

Walking downstairs, I strode towards Brynjolf and grabbed him by his collar. “Where is she?” I shouted into his face. 

“She’s not here,” he said quietly, face full of sorrow, “She’s gone, lad. She’s gone…” 

And my life fell apart in an instant. 

* * *

Ragnar of Riften had his heart ripped out. Where it once rested, there was only a black void. I knew I’d never love again. My wife and child had been stolen from me. And I knew she’d been murdered. I had spoken with the lady who tended the Hall of the Dead, a woman by the name of Alessandra. She had performed all the usual checks. She confirmed Muiri’s sex, age and other distinguishing features, including the fact she was heavily pregnant. She also confirmed the manner of death. 

Murder. She’d been poisoned. There was the tiny hole in her neck, where someone had likely used a needle to dispense the poison. She confirmed death would have been in seconds. 

There was only one group responsible for murder in Skyrim. The Dark Brotherhood. I knew I would be going to war with them after the funeral. I was going to find Astrid, kill her, then wipe the rest of them out. The Dark Brotherhood would cease to exist in all of Tamriel by the time I was done with them. 

But first, I had to lay my wife and child to rest. The Temple of Mara, the site of the happiest day of my life, where I had married her, was now the site of my saddest. I had shed enough tears between hearing the news and the funeral. Now I was just left feeling angry and bitter. And, I’ll admit, a little confused. I had no idea who would want to kill her. Was it her? Or was someone trying to get at me? I had asked around, and no-one could give me a straight answer. 

Like weddings, funerals were simple affairs in Skyrim. Maramal spoke a few words and I wasn’t capable of adding anything. Thankfully Aranea spoke for me, and her words were beautiful, and it was then that I was finally able to cry. I hugged her tightly afterwards, thanking her profusely. Carrying out the coffin afterwards, a grave had been dug for her in the lone graveyard the city had. Maven had bought an exquisite gravestone for me, and it was next to the grave that we placed the coffin down, before four of us used ropes to lower it into the ground. I insisted I would fill the grave myself. It took a while, but it was therapeutic at the same time. 

The grave full, Ingun approached and dropped some seeds, as flowers would now grow on the grave, a symbol of Muiri’s love for alchemy. Asking for everyone to meet me at the Bee and Barb in a few minutes, I was left alone as I stood in front of the grave. “I’m sorry, Muiri. It’s all my fault. Maybe if I’d been home…” 

“It’s not your fault.” The voice made me jump, turning to see Nura, the priestess of Talos I often saw praying at a nearby shrine. “It’s not your fault, Ragnar. And if you’d been home, you would perhaps be dead too.” 

“Being dead would be better than feeling like this,” I muttered. 

“Those feelings will disappear and your heart will mend eventually.” 

“I just want whoever did this. I will find them. And I will kill them.” 

“You want revenge?” 

“I would say justice, but no, I don’t just want revenge. I want blood. I will find whoever did this. Track them down to the ends of Tamriel if necessary. And when I have them cornered, I’m going to take their heart and show it to them before they die.” 

“That is a dark path you approach, Ragnar.” 

“I feel a heart beat in my chest, but it has otherwise been ripped out. I now feel only two emotions. Anger, or rage to be more accurate, and hate. I’m not sure who I hate just yet, but I can make assumptions as to who is responsible for why my wife is now lying in the ground instead of standing next to me. I will walk that dark path if necessary.” 

“Talos guide you regardless, Ragnar.” 

“Thank you, priestess.” 

The Bee and Barb was far more subdued than normal. Little wonder, considering the circumstances. I received plenty of sympathy from everyone I knew. Haelga was in floods of tears when she offered hers. I had seen her at the service, but she had stayed back. “If there’s anything I can do,” she started. It wasn’t an offer that required a response, so I just thanked her.

I got drunk. I can admit that freely, as that’s all I wanted to do. Sure, that’s how the whole business started, at least in my mind. I’d got drunk, ended up traveling from one side of Skyrim to the other, and back again, and while I was away, my wife was murdered. But getting drunk seemed like the best thing to do, so that’s what I did. I got so drunk I barely remember being carried home, though I’m sure I was probably weeping, or maybe angry at everyone, or perhaps critical of myself, as I’d feel forever responsible for what happened. 

Waking with a massive hangover the next morning, Aranea cooked me some breakfast before I headed down to the Guild and the Flagon. Taking a seat across from Delvin, I asked one simple question. “Where is the Dark Brotherhood located?” 

He was ready to argue but decided being honest was the best course. “West of Falkreath. There is an entrance just off the main road. Did Astrid tell you the secret phrase?” 

“Yes, I made sure to remember that. But her description was vague otherwise.” 

“What do you plan on doing?” 

“Asking a few questions. My wife was murdered. The Dark Brotherhood will be held responsible unless Astrid assures me that they were not responsible, and more importantly, I believe what she says.” 

“Careful, Ragnar. You’ll be dealing with a bunch of assassins, and they do have talent.” 

“And I’m a bereaved, heartbroken husband to a murdered wife, nothing more than a vessel of hate and rage. Who do you think should be more scared?” 

He nodded, replying, “Just make sure you go armed.” 

I didn’t leave immediately. I took a couple of days to get my affairs in order. Part of me wanted to sell our house, her house, and just leave Riften behind. I could leave the Guild, that wouldn’t be a problem. They didn’t really need me. Brynjolf or Karliah could run it. I had no real idea of what I’d do. Selling the house would earn me plenty of coin though. Maybe become a mercenary? 

I departed Riften a week after the funeral, with more warnings ringing in my ears from those who were aware of what I was going to do. I appreciated their concern but ignored them all. If the Dark Brotherhood wasn’t responsible, then they would have nothing to fear. Haelga was the last to see me, and I knew she was thinking things. Personal things. I didn’t blame her. Both of us were now widows, but she was smart enough to not even start broaching that subject. But I appreciated her company as I didn’t want to be lonely. Going to bed was difficult enough without the presence of my wife. Pottering around an empty house was enough to drive me mad. 

Leaving final instructions with Brynjolf and Karliah, I suggested I would eventually return, but not to expect me to show much interest in Guild business for the foreseeable future. So, as far as I was concerned, they were both in change until then. Neither of them were particularly happy about it, but I left them with next to no choice in the matter. I was going, and that was that. 

My mind was still in turmoil as I rode along, almost hoping something, someone, would try and attack me so I could release some of the rage that was still building inside. I needed to explode, release some of it, so a few bandits or a bear would be the perfect valve. But nothing did, the road to Falkreath clear of anything dangerous. 

Avoiding Falkreath itself, I managed to find the door with ease, and camped down the road a little further. It had been another long day in the saddle, and after building a small fire, I opened a bottle of wine and got plastered again, crawling into my bedroll sometime later. Considering I had a near constant hangover lately, I woke feeling fine the next morning, and after a quick breakfast, readied myself for whatever was to come. 

I left my horse at the campsite, cautiously walking the road back towards Falkreath, turning off where I knew the entrance to the Sanctuary was. I watched it for at least an hour, though no-one came or went, so figured I might as well just try and enter. 

Standing in front of the door, the sinister looking skull looking back at me. I knew there was magic involved when I touched the door and heard a whispered voice ask, “What is the music of life?” 

I knew the answer. “Silence, my brother.” 

“Welcome home,” the door replied before it swung open for me. 

Unsheathing my sword, I walked slowly down the stairs, turning to see a larger room. There were a couple of shelves, a table, but otherwise the place looked in a rather sorry state. Waiting at the other side of the room was Astrid. Her eyes met mine and my hand moved to my sword as I walked towards her. Coming to a stop a couple of metres back, I didn’t let her speak. Raising my sword, pointing the tip at her neck, I said, “You will answer my questions. You will answer them truthfully. If not, then you had better believe…” 

“We didn’t do it, Ragnar. Trust me, I wouldn’t have taken the contract if it had been offered.” 

“Then not you, who? Who else would commit such a flagrant murder in Skyrim?” 

To my surprise, she stepped towards me, moving the sword out of her way with her gloved hand, before she hugged me. “Calm down, Ragnar. We’re not your enemy,” she said softly, “And I’m definitely not your enemy. Put your sword down and we’ll talk.” 

“But…” 

“Trust me. Please.” 

I sighed. Did she have any reason to lie to me? Perhaps. But I also believed her. Maybe I was being foolish, but for some reason, I believed her. So I sheathed my sword before she finally released me. “Good. Now, we should talk about what happened.” She let me go and walked to the other side of the nearby table. “I did hear about what happened, Ragnar. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.” 

“Thanks. I appreciate it.” 

“Now, as for who did it, do you truly believe we didn’t do it?” 

“I believe you personally didn’t do it. But would anyone in this organisation do it on their own initiative? Perhaps hearing a rumour?” 

“No. If they would have heard something, I’d have heard it. And, to be honest, I would have let you know, Ragnar. I know it’s been some months since that night, but I still remember it fondly. I’ve been waiting for you to show up. But I learned you were married, so I understood why you never arrived.” 

“Any idea who might have done it?” 

“I think the right question you need to be asking is who would have wanted your wife dead? Would it be someone after Muiri herself? Or is it someone trying to tear you down?” 

I grabbed a chair and sat down, racking my mind over everything we’d done. “Well, I can be honest. I don’t have many enemies, and most I do have are dead. Add to that, most people don’t even know what I do with my life. As for Muiri, the only person who might have had an axe to grind is…” I looked up at Astrid. “But how could he have known about…” 

“You killed Nilsine, Ragnar. What you wouldn’t know is that his wife committed suicide a couple of weeks later. Torbjorn Shatter-Shield would have had every reason to find the woman he’d hold responsible for everything that had happened to his family.” 

“So you think it was him?” 

She opened the drawer of a nearby chest and handed across a book. “I’ve done some investigating, Ragnar. I believe he probably hired Argonians to do it. I’ve asked Veezara, an Argonian who works for us. Although he states he is the last Shadowscale, Argonians do make talented assassins, so it’s possible there are some working freelance. The other reason I suggest it is an Argonian is that there is a community who lived outside the city walls. It’s possible there are some living inconspicuously amongst their ranks, and Torbjorn was able to approach them there.” 

I was about to ask ‘Are you sure?’ but reading through the information she’d managed to gather, I could only ask, “How did you get all this?” 

“I knew you’d show up here asking questions, if not ready for a fight. Call it self-preservation.” She paused, before asking, “So what do you intend to do now?” 

Rising to my feet, I said I would be heading straight for Windhelm. Before leaving, I thanked her for the information. “What will you do after?” 

“No idea,” I admitted. 

“You will always have a job with us. Consider what you’re about to do. Is doing work for us any different?” 

I didn’t need to really think about it. “No. No, it’s not. The only difference is this is personal. I’ve already killed for love. Is killing for money better or worse?” 

“Neither. It just is.” 

“I might wander through the door again someday soon, Astrid.” 

“Be safe, Ragnar.” 

After packing up camp and tying everything up on my horse, I headed west and north, eventually turning onto the road towards Whiterun, knowing I couldn’t make Windhelm in a day from Falkreath. I still carried the ring for Ysolda, and she was pleased that I returned it, though it appeared news had spread about the murder of my wife. She offered her condolences as we shared a drink in the Bannered Mare. 

Walking into Windhelm late the next day, I headed straight for the house of the Shatter-Shields. I wasn’t going to waste any time. Looking around to ensure no-one saw me enter, I knocked on the door. It was opened by Torbjorn. “Yes?” he asked, “Who are you?” 

“We need to speak, Torbjorn. About my wife.” 

He sighed, nodded, and opened the door wider. I gestured for him to walk in front of me, not wishing to turn my back, ensuring the door was closed and secured before I followed him. He took a seat, gesturing to one opposite as we sat in front of the fire. He poured us each a glass of wine, though mine would remain untouched. He took a sip as he stared into the fire. “I suppose you’d like to know why.” 

“I can take a good guess.” 

“She’s responsible for everything… What was your name?” 

“My name isn’t important.” 

He nodded again. “Very well. As I said, she’s responsible for everything. Not for the death of Friga. I can’t pin that on her shoulders. But she was responsible for our heirloom beings stolen. If she’d not been such a floozy…” 

“Careful, Torbjorn. Be very careful about what you say about her.” 

He glared at me. “Frighten me all you want, young man. I know my end is near. Just shut up, let me speak, then you can do what you must.” 

“Very well. Continue.” 

“She was responsible for the loss of Aegisbane. That weapon had been in our family for generations. If she hadn’t met that man and brought him into our lives, maybe none of this would have happened. I know she ran away to Markarth to escape. I kept tabs on her, just in case. 

Then Nilsine was murdered, and I knew she was responsible.” 

I leaned closer to him. “I did that. For Muiri. Want to know how your daughter died?” 

“No. I will sit here knowing I will join them all soon enough. But Muiri asked you to kill her?” 

“She asked me to kill Alain. If you hadn’t thrown her out of Windhelm, forced her into exile, maybe your daughter would still be alive.” 

He nodded before continuing, perhaps wanting to argue, but probably not seeing the point. “After we buried Nilsine, my wife was beside herself with grief. I did what I could but…. I found her returning home from work about a month later. She’d taken poison. She left a note for me, absolving me of any fault. She blamed your wife, of course. That’s when I took action.” 

“How did you find her?” 

“As I said, I knew she was in Markarth. If she’d remained there, as miserable as I knew she was, I’d have let her be. But no, she had to find happiness, a man who loved her, and a child on the way. There was no way I would allow her to have that. So I did what I needed to do. It was a clean job.” He met my eyes. “But I did it knowing you would one day arrive on my doorstep. I hide nothing. I’m glad to have done it.” 

“I will give you a choice of how you die, Torbjorn. You can pick up a weapon and fight me, or I will make your ending quick. You will not suffer, much like my wife, who I was assured had died within seconds as she slept.” 

“I can’t fight you, boy. Just let me finish this cup and you can then do what you want.” 

I let him finish his cup. I gave him that much. Then he stood up, straightened his clothing, then met my eyes as I stood in front of him, sword already in hand. I was polite enough to put it through his chest, aiming for his heart, killing him almost instantly. He collapsed to his knees, and I took his head for good measure. Once satisfied, I wiped off my sword before sheathing it, and I walked out of the house. I assumed someone would find him soon. If not, the smell would attract someone eventually. 

It was rather dark by the time I left Windhelm, intending to ride to Kynesgrove, where I would spend the night in the local inn. The next morning, I returned to Riften and my empty house at Riftweald, with absolutely no idea of what I was going to do next.


	20. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three months later...

I had barely left the house since returning from Windhelm having killed the man responsible. I knew I would never have found the Argonian who did the deed. No doubt they’d have returned to Black Marsh. Finding the man who had given the order was enough. Though I barely left the house, I still received the occasional visitor. Brynjolf would drop by once a week, letting me know the latest news and gossip from the Flagon. Karliah would visit every so often, just to see how I was doing. Aranea still worked for me, and though she hadn’t moved back in, spent more time at mine than anywhere else. 

And then there was Haelga, who in no way tried to seduce me, but I know she was wondering if I would change my mind about our relationship, once I’d stopped mourning my wife. I would visit her grave once a week, placing a new bouquet of the flowers she had loved, letting her know that I was thinking about her, that I missed her terribly, but that I hoped she was at peace wherever she was. The first time I had visited her grave, I let her know I’d found the man responsible for her death. The flowers had bloomed spectacularly within a couple of weeks. Maybe it was just in my mind, but I took it as a sign that the news had made her happy. 

But after three months, I was going a little stir crazy and needed to do something with my life. And the more I thought about it, the more I was ready to take Astrid’s offer. But more than that, I was missing the intimate touch of a woman. The last time I had been intimate with my wife had been the night everything had gone wrong. Besides my wife, there was only one woman I would consider being intimate with. The fact I knew she would be receptive made things slightly easier. I couldn’t mourn forever, and I knew Muiri would want me to move on. And considering she knew of my previous relationship, I’m sure she’d approve. 

Walking into the Bunkhouse, Svana was at the counter. She smiled at me and yelled upstairs that I was there. Haelga came bounding down the stairs and leapt into my arms, rather happy to see me. I couldn’t help chuckle at her excitement. Leaning back to look at me, the smile on her face was infectious. “You look… better, Ragnar.” 

“I had to get out of the house. It’s getting rather lonely moping about. So, I thought I’d come visit you.” 

Leaning forward, looking up at me, she asked, “And you thought of me first?” 

“I did.” My hands were on her back, and I slowly moved one down so it rested just above her arse. “I have to move on, Haelga.” 

“I understand, Ragnar. I had to do the same thing when I lost my husband. Such a shame we now share widowhood in common.” 

“Aye. Perhaps a topic best not discussed too often.” 

She smiled. “But now you’re out of the house. What did you want?” 

“What I wanted was for you to join me in the Bee and Barb for dinner tonight. Would you like to join me?” 

“Just dinner?” she whispered. 

“Honestly, no. I can’t remember the last time… But I also know how that must make you feel…” 

She leaned up to kiss me. A soft, gentle kiss. The first time I’d kissed a woman since that last night with Muiri. The first time I’d kissed another woman since the day I proposed to Muiri. Yet, because of the history I had with Haelga, it felt right immediately. “I’ll join you there once the sun has gone down. Would you like to return here with me?” 

“Aye. Returning to Riftweald…. Honestly, I just want to sell it…” 

“No, don’t do that. Make new memories in addition to those already there.” 

“Maybe I should get a new bed though. It wouldn’t be right…” 

“I can’t tell you what to do, Ragnar. Do what you think or what feels right. No matter what you do, Muiri would understand. And I’m sure you know she’d want you to move on.” 

I kissed her, the same she gave me. I didn’t exactly want to put on a show for Svana, plus there were still a few hurdles in my mind I needed to get over. But it was nice to hold a woman in my arms again, Haelga resting her head against me as I gently stroked her hair. “I’ve missed this feeling,” she said softly, “And before you say anything, don’t apologise. I know how happy you were. And I’m sorry…” 

“Thank you. It means a lot, especially from yourself.” 

For the first time in three months, I had reason to smile. Haelga said again that I looked much better before I left her to work, and I found myself wandering around Riften. I still felt the weight of the world on my shoulders but I felt better about things. I hadn’t trimmed my beard or hair in months, nor had a proper wash, so I headed to where Aranea still lived, and asked for her help. When I told her why, she immediately escorted me back to Riftweald, where my beard and hair were trimmed and neatened up, water heated so I could enjoy a proper wash, and she made sure I dressed to impress. 

“Now, just remember one thing, Ragnar. You go as fast or as slow as you want. I know why you’ve gone back to Haelga. You want intimacy again.” 

“Know me that well?” 

“You’re a man, Ragnar. And, trust me on this, I know what it’s like to go without intimacy for a long time.” Taking a step back, she looked me up and down. “And I’m sure Haelga will be impressed with the effort you’ve made. You won’t be returning here?” 

“No, I’ll stay at the Bunkhouse if the night goes well.” 

Taking a seat at my usual table, I received plenty of hearty hellos as I sat down and enjoyed a tankard of ale, chatting with anyone who wanted to join me. Most simply enquired as to my state of mind, as they wouldn’t have seen me in months. And if they had, I’d probably shared few words with them. Haelga walked in as I was nursing a third tankard. She kissed my cheek before taking a seat opposite. If anyone was surprised by her sitting with me, they didn’t show it, and no-one made any comment. I bought her a tankard too, and ordered dinner. 

It was just like old times, and I found myself laughing quite a lot that night, Haelga regaling me with stories of life in the Bunkhouse. After we finished eating dinner, Haelga cut straight to the chase, asking if I’d like to accompany her home. I said yes without hesitation. She offered her hand and practically dragged me away. “Enjoy yourself, Ragnar!” I heard someone call out, to the laughter of plenty of others. I certainly wasn’t going to take offence. 

It had been a long time since I’d been in Haelga’s penthouse. Well over a year and more. Nothing had changed, though. Once the door was closed, she was all over me, her mouth desperate for mine, her hands trying to disrobe me as quickly as possible. I was returning the favour, and may have accidentally ripped her dress. She told me not to worry, so I ripped it some more before it dropped to the ground. Underwear followed just as quickly before I led her backwards to the bed. 

“No foreplay,” she said, “Just sex.” 

“Sure?” 

She nodded as she shuffled backwards, beckoning me to join her with a finger. I did kiss up her body, taking a breast in my mouth for a moment, giving each nipple a quick bite, before kissing her, my right hand down by her sex. I couldn’t help smile as she was soaking wet. She needed to gasp when I touched her. “I haven’t had sex in over a year, Ragnar.” 

That brought me to a halt. “You’re serious? But… You’re you!” 

“I was still in love, Ragnar. I still am now.” She put a finger to my lips. “And you don’t have to say a thing. Just letting you know.” 

Sliding my cock inside her, I watched her face break into an enormous grin, hearing her gasp as I wasted no time burying my entire length. She felt just as good as the first time I’d been inside her. Wrapping her legs around me immediately, I was quickly thrusting away into her. Wrapping her arms around my neck, she dragged me down to kiss her. I growled into her mouth as I fucked her even harder. She needed to break the kiss to moan. “Yes, Ragnar,” she hissed quietly, “Fuck me!” 

“I won’t last long.” 

“I don’t care. Fuck me and cum in me. This is just the start.” 

I stopped a moment. “The restart?” 

“Just fucking, no feelings this time. Well, at least in the sense I still love you, but that’s just how I feel. But I’ll always be here if you want some fun, Ragnar. You think I’d say not to this magnificent thing currently inside me?” 

I resumed fucking her, feeling her legs tighten around me, urging me on to go faster. I could feel the need to release rather urgently, lifting her body with mine, burying myself even deeper if possible, causing her to cry out as I drove my cock into her harder and faster still. 

Then I erupted inside her, groaning so loudly, they probably heard me all the way in Solitude. Then I needed to relax, using a forearm to prevent squashing Haelga underneath me, her legs and arms still wrapped around me, laying soft kisses on my cheeks before kissing me again. 

“Well, I think we both needed that,” she said a little later. 

“Give me a few minutes to recover, then you’re riding me until you cum.” 

“Ever the gentleman, Ragnar.” 

It took barely ten minutes for me to be hard again, and considering I’d just cum, I would last much longer. Rolling me onto my back, Haelga wanted to suck my cock first, and I quite happily watched her do it, as she was as talented as ever, ever eager to swallow my length. She wouldn’t get a mouthful of cum, but happily sucked away until she was ready to mount me. 

Watching her slide down my cock was rather exciting, my Nord goddess feeling back home with my cock inside her. And she happily bounced and grinded away as I grabbed a breast in each hand, giving them gentle squeezes, maybe giving her nipples a tweak. Moving a hand down to her sex, I licked my thumb and gently rubbed her clit. That pretty much set her off and she enjoyed her first climax of the night. But she kept on going, though grabbed my wrist to move my thumb away, insisting her next one would arrive from my cock alone. 

Manoeuvring backwards, I was in a seated position so we could make out as she continued to ride me. Running my hands down her back, she was already sweating, not that I cared, particularly as her body language suggested she was approaching a second climax. “Thrust up,” she pleaded. I somehow managed to do it from the position I was in. That made her cry out, leaning forward to hold me, breasts pressed into my chest as she cried out into my ear. 

“Holy shit, Ragnar!” she said softly once she stopped moving. 

“Enjoy yourself?” 

She leaned back. “Enjoy myself? I haven’t had that good an orgasm in months.” After kissing me again, she added, “Want my arse tonight too?” 

I smiled but shook my head. “I just want what we’re sharing right now. But if you want, we can get into some of the crazy stuff again, if you’re interested.” 

“Definitely.” 

Hopping off my lap, we settled down together side by side, Haelga spooning against me. A thousand memories came flooding back for me, and I’m sure they did for her too. “I’ve missed you,” she whispered after minutes of comfortable silence. 

“I’ve missed you too.” 

“And you’re welcome anytime you want, Ragnar. Just like before.” 

“I’m not falling in love again, Haelga.” 

She turned around to face me, kissing me softly on the lips. “But you still love me?” 

“Yes, but…”

Another finger on the lips. “No. You love me. That’s all I need to know. We were never going to have what you shared with her. That’s why I was… content to let you go. I never wished that…” She sighed. “Anything I say won’t sound right. I can’t even say I’m glad you’re here without it sounding awful.” 

“How about this? There is only one other person each of us would rather be with. But we can’t be with that person, so we find love and companionship with each other.” 

She smiled. “That works. And the really good sex helps.” 

“Just good?” 

“Great. Superb. Life-changing.” 

I was soon poking her in the rear, and it only took a slight shuffle for my cock to slide inside her again. She rather liked me holding her in my arms, cuddling and fucking her from behind. Lifting one of her legs over my own, I moved one of my hands so I could fondle her at the same time. “You want me to have another one?” she asked with a chuckle. 

“I’m going to cum so you are too.” 

She suggested we make it a little more comfortable, and a little easier for me to fuck her, so she got on her hands and knees, and I definitely groaned as I slid inside her. Grabbing a handful of her hair, I noticed her smile as I started to pound her, and she quickly dropped onto her forearms, resting on one as her free hand started to fondle herself. “I’ve missed the feeling of those hands on my hips, Ragnar. 

I stopped, still buried inside her, and asking, “Would you like the return of the special room?” 

“What about…?” 

“I can’t keep it forever. That’s not healthy. So, as you said, I’ll make some new memories.” 

“If you want to, Ragnar, I won’t say no.” 

I started pounding her again in agreement. All she did was rest on her forearm, looking back in my direction with that gorgeous smile of hers. I hadn’t lied to her. I would not fall in love again, but I’d definitely enjoy rekindling my relationship with her. To be honest, I’m just glad everything still worked. I’d been in such a depression; I’d barely taken care of my own physical needs. 

And I’d always enjoyed the intimacy I’d shared with Haelga. I’ll admit that I hadn’t particularly missed it while committed and then married to Muiri, but she had been interested in hearing about the things we’d been up to. My lovemaking with my wife had always been markedly different, as although she was intrigued, we kept it what I would call ‘normal’. I’m sure some would probably call that ‘boring’. 

Warning Haelga I was close again, I could see her shoulder and top of her arm move quickly, so knew she was rubbing herself to orgasm, though I’m confident what I was doing was doing most of the job. She was still bent in such a way so I could watch her face, and I knew she was getting close too. 

“On you?” I asked. 

She smiled but shook her head. “No. Another time. I want to feel it inside me.” 

Well, I wasn’t going to deny her what she wanted, my hands gripping her even tighter as I started to drive into her even harder. She lowered her body down to the bed, barely lifting her arse up, begging for me to just ruin her. That led to me not lasting more than a couple of minutes before groaning rather loudly, buried myself deep one final time, before I exploded. She kept fondling herself and followed me not long later, and once we were both done, I lowered my body to gently lie on top of hers. 

She didn’t want that for too long, eventually wanting to flip over onto her back, though as my cock was still relatively hard, had me slide back inside her before wrapping her arms and legs around me again as we continued to make out. It was just like old times, except we were around eighteen or so months older. 

“I’d like to fall asleep like this, with you still inside me… Though I’d want you to keep fucking me too!” 

I eventually softened enough that we just had to clean up and lie down together again, Haelga spooning into me so I would hold her as tightly as possible. “Ragnar, if we resume our relationship, will you want to be with others again?” 

“I haven’t thought that far ahead.” 

“Like before, I wouldn’t be upset if you were.” 

“How about this? You will be my only girl in Riften.” 

“So no Ingun or Karliah?” 

“Ingun is a good friend. I’ve always liked her, but that aspect has long since passed. As for Karliah, I don’t think she’d be interested. She’s now just a very good, close friend. I think if she or I offered, we’d probably fall into bed immediately, but to be honest, there’s a reason why I’m here right now.” 

“You thought I’d be easy?” 

That made me chuckle. “No, not like that. I just figured…” 

She leaned back to kiss me. “I’m teasing, Ragnar. I would never say no to restarting what we shared. I knew you just needed time.” 

“You don’t feel… I don’t know, like…” 

She kissed me again. “Never. I knew you ended it with heavy heart to begin with. And, more importantly, Ragnar, I knew you were in love. It would have been incorrect of me to somehow make you break your word to Muiri.” 

We fell asleep and woke up in the same position, the first time I woke up with a woman in my arms for months. Despite waking with a raging erection, I admitted I just wanted to enjoy the feeling of continuing to hold her, as I was remembering all the little details of her body. Her spectacular arse and legs. Soft skin. Soft, perfect breasts that I may give a gentle squeeze. Long blonde hair that still had that scent of flowers I remembered. Blue eyes that looked into mine, and I could see the same feelings in them, as if we’d never spent time apart. 

As I said, she had been, was again, and perhaps always would be my Nord goddess. 

Eventually having to get up, we dressed and headed downstairs for breakfast. Svana was friendly as always, stating she was glad to see me back in the Bunkhouse after so long. She sat down next to me once she had served Haelga and I, and I wrapped an arm around her in thanks. “Will you be visiting often?” she wondered. 

Looking across at Haelga, who couldn’t help smile and blush, I said, “I think I’ll be a regular visitor. That’s if Haelga isn’t at my place. The only proviso will be if I’m in Riften or not.” 

“Will you have reason to be away?” 

“I need to resume my life. I’ve spent three months moping around my house. It’s time to do something. I’m just not sure what.” 

“Any ideas?” 

“Just the one. I had an offer a while back. I’ve been thinking about it for some time.” 

“What sort of offer?” Haelga wondered. I just shook my head. “I don’t want to know?” 

“Well, I haven’t exactly been doing much regarding my other… ‘job’ since I was married. Doubt I’ll start doing that again. I’m still the boss, still take my cut, but others are now running it, and they are still abiding by my rules, as far as I know. But I received a job offer regarding something else I’ve proven rather adept at. I might see where that goes.” 

“Will that take you away from Riften often?” 

I could hear the longing in Haelga’s tone. She wanted me around all the time. “Hopefully not. But I could be away from time to time. It will depend on if I actually take the offer, though I’ll insist I won’t be moving. I’ll probably head off in the next few days and see if the offer is still available.” 

Between that day and leaving for Falkreath, which I did at the end of the week, I made some changes to Riftweald. I bought a chest and started storing the personal effects and mementoes Muiri had bought, and the little things that reminded me of her. I couldn’t get rid of everything. I would want to open the chest occasionally and look at things. But the nursery was an open wound, and I finally emptied that out, giving away most of the things for free, most things to the local orphanage. I bought a new bed, as I couldn’t share the same bed I’d shared with my wife with another person. To me, that just didn’t seem right. Plus, the bed held far too many memories. I should have thrown it out long ago, but in my mind, I could still feel her presence when I went to sleep each night. Her clothing… A few things went in the chest, but I sold or gave away nearly everything else. 

I moved the chest under the new bed, where it would stay, not forgotten, but I wouldn’t open it too often. I moved everything around in the bedroom, and also downstairs, giving the place a sense of ‘newness’. Aranea walked in one day to see me changing everything around, immediately stepping in to help, realising what I was doing and why. When we were finally done, she hugged me as I released the final bit of grief I still held deep down inside me, her words nothing but soothing, again understanding what was happening. 

“Feel better?” she asked later.

"I needed to do that. Now I can look around and not see a reminder every single second.” 

“You’ve seemed a little more content lately, Ragnar. Your reconnecting with Haelga is going well?” 

“I will invite her over one night soon. And… well… The room I had before…” 

“It’s probably a good thing I will remain where I am living,” she stated with a smirk. 

“Perhaps it would be for the best. I plan on making new memories with Haelga around the house.” 

I noticed the eyebrows raise. “You will only be with her?” 

“When I’m in Riften, yes.” 

From that first night back together, I spent five nights at the Bunkhouse, reconnecting with Haelga, not just physically, but also emotionally. She had freely admitted to still being in love with me. I admitted I still carried endless affection for her, but I had been honest about not wanting to fall in love. She understood why, though did make a subtle joke that I did love her, though not _in_ love with her. She was probably right, but I didn’t want to get her hopes up too soon. 

On the morning after the fifth night, I let her know I would be heading away from Riften. I couldn’t say how long, but I needed to get active again. As before, she admitted to being worried about me while I was away, but trusted me to look after myself, though gently warned me not to get either injured, arrested or killed. I couldn’t make that promise, though told her I had a reason again to return home so would rather I didn’t end up like that. I think telling her that near enough made her cry. Instead, the lovemaking we shared that morning nearly earned a round of applause from everyone else in the Bunkhouse when we headed down for breakfast an hour later. 

Riding my horse, back out on the open road, I felt a sense of peace I hadn’t felt in a long time. Sure, I was armed and armoured, ready to fight, but after so long not having even thought about leaving the city walls, with each mile further from Riften, the better I started to feel. My ride towards Falkreath wasn’t uninterrupted, as I found myself stopped a trio of bandits about halfway along. Taking on three bandits at once wasn’t something I’d normally contemplate, but it was opportunity to test my sword arm again, as I was sure to be rusty, and most bandits are usually poor swordsman. 

The three attacked me at once, so I had to fight dirty, using my shield to block and bash, my feet aiming either for knees or crotches, as I had no problem hitting a bandit it in his lower regions. He didn’t deserve that sort of respect. I put one of them on the ground rather quickly, leaving me to face two of them. So I thought taunting them would help. 

“Sure you want to keep fighting a Nightingale?” 

“Heard of them. You don’t look like one.” 

“My armour is at home. Okay, how about the boss of the Thieves Guild?” 

“I heard he was dead.” 

“If you mean Mercer Frey, then you would be correct.” 

“No, the other one. He was supposedly murdered with his wife.” 

That just pissed me off, so I shut up and put them both down as well. One still lived as I put a sword to his throat. “Who told you that?” 

“Told me what?” 

“That I was dead with my wife?” 

“Just a rumour. It was just a rumour. The sort of thing shared over a campfire.” 

I put my sword through his throat, enjoying the sound of him choking to death. I could have made some sort of quip, but he was a bandit, and wasn’t worthy of any more time than necessary. The rest of my ride to Falkreath took place without further incident. I left my horse outside the Sanctuary, away from prying eyes of anyone walking the road, and found the door would open on approach. 

Wandering downstairs, Astrid was in what I could already assume was her usual place, leaning against the table. I stopped and looked over her fine figure. She had a fabulous arse, the legs leading up to it also rather nice and long. She must have noticed my presence as she eventually glanced in my direction, and definitely knew I’d been checking her out, as she immediately smiled. “Well, this a pleasant surprise, Ragnar.” 

Walking forward, I was surprised when she stepped forward to embrace me. I completed the embrace, and a few memories of a certain night started to flood my mind. I particularly remembered what she looked like under that skin tight armour. 

Stepping back after a couple of minutes, she asked, “What brings you back to our Sanctuary? I heard about Torbjorn…” 

“I’m sure everyone has. Any link back to me?” 

“None whatsoever. Another unsolved murder in Windhelm. Ulfric’s capital doesn’t appear to be the safest place in Skyrim. But that’s not why you are here, is it?” 

“I need something to do. I’ve been thinking about your offer for quite a while. I’ll do it, with two provisos.” 

“I’ll hear them, Ragnar, if you’re being honest.” 

“One. I wish to remain living in Riften. I’m not sure how it works, but you can send orders by courier, can you not?” 

She nodded. “Yes, we have people we can trust to send letters. Okay, that’s your first point, and I can immediately say that’s fine. What’s the second?” 

“I want you. And not just a one-time thing. I’ve done my grieving, but I’m not falling in love again. I have a woman in Riften I’m intimate with. When I’m not in Riften, I might be here. And if I’m here, I want you, in a bed, naked on top of me with my cock inside you. I hope that’s blunt enough so there’s no reason for misinterpretation.” 

The smile that formed suggested she liked that idea very much. “Well, I’m sure we can figure something out, Ragnar. But what about my husband?” 

“Is he still a werewolf?” She nodded. “And when was the last time you were fucked?” 

“That night we shared, Ragnar.” 

“By Ysmir, is he dumb or something? I mean, look at you! I’d get a cure tomorrow then ensure we were intimate all the time.” 

“Careful, Ragnar. I love my husband, but compliments like that will have me performing the Black Sacrament for a certain reason…” 

“Can it work?” 

“Yes, I will tell him straight. If he refuses to do the right thing for his wife, then I will do what I need to do.” She cleared her throat. “Would you like to meet the others?” 

“Sure.” 

Arnbjorn, her husband, was what I expected. A Nord warrior, quite intimidating, though maybe to others, and his grip of my hand as he shook mine suggested he knew exactly who I was. He was rather gruff and short with me. Didn’t particularly blame him. Babette was a ten-year-old girl, though learned later she was actually a three-hundred-year old vampire. I understood quite quickly how she carried out her jobs. Gabriella was a Dunmer, with a beautiful, melodic sounding voice, the sort that would have me smitten, and after a conversation with her, learned she was incredibly dangerous. Was I attracted to her straight away? Damn right, I was. She knew too. Festus Krex was a grumpy, old human mage, who despaired at the plight of the Dark Brotherhood, and there were subtle suggestions he wasn’t happy with Astrid’s leadership. Nazir was a Redguard who handled contracts on behalf of Astrid, with a dark and dry sense of humour. The sort of guy I’d enjoy a tankard of ale with. Finally, Veezara was an Argonian Shadowscale, the last of his kind, and someone who appeared to like and respect Astrid quite a lot. 

Returning to her table, Astrid felt it necessary to explain what was expected of me as a member of the Dark Brotherhood. I simply assured her I was in this as I was clearly good at it, much like I was pretty damned good thief, and I clearly lacked that part of the heart or brain that made them feel guilty when they took another life. I’d killed for love. I’d killed for revenge. I’d even killed for power, if you look at how the death of Mercer Frey worked out for myself. Now I could kill for coin. All I said is that I did have one or two rules. I wouldn’t kill children, which made Astrid laugh, as she insisted they would never accept that sort of contract, and I wouldn’t do anything else other than kill. She understood the insinuation, and said the Brotherhood only assassinated. 

Before my joining was official, she wanted to know that I’d kill on demand, or as ordered. She confessed that she knew I’d probably kill just to please her, and I replied that she was right. The rush of adrenaline I’d feel would want something from her in return. But it still needed to be done, to prove to everyone else that I would do as ordered. I agreed and accepted the first contract. 

“Head to Dawnstar, Ragnar. You have no reason to contact the person responsible for requesting the assassination, but do you want to know why?” 

I shrugged. “If the person needs to die, they need to die. Knowing why isn’t going to change that.” 

She smiled. “That’s right. It’s not for us to judge. We merely carry out the request. So, you are looking for a woman by the name of Beitild. She runs the Iron-Breaker Mine on the outskirts of the city. She separated from her husband around a year ago, and has been left angry and embittered by it. I’d suggestion slight caution, simply because she will fight you, depending on how you approach her.” 

“I’m guessing it’s rather late out now, so I’ll leave tomorrow.” 

“Will you stay here?” 

“I’d rather stay down the road at the inn, to be honest.” 

“I’ll join you.” 

“Already?” 

“Ragnar, you’ve made it perfectly clear what you want from me, and I’ll make it clear in return. I feel the same way. So, if you head off now, get a room with a double bed at the inn, and I’ll be there shortly.” 

I couldn’t help grin as I let her know I was looking forward to seeing her soon. 

After booking a room, I ordered a meal and a tankard, taking a seat in a dark corner, listening to the lone musician strum a harp. Astrid took longer than I expected, and when she walked in, she glanced my way, my temper rose, and I followed her into the room I booked. Closing the door behind me, she didn’t turn to face me until I gently rested a hand on her shoulder. “Let me see,” I asked quietly. 

She turned around slowly, and my temper rose further as I noticed the already forming black eye and blood dripping from a nostril. “He did this?” 

“I gave him an ultimatum. Either the blood or me. He made his choice.” 

“Astrid, this isn’t…” 

“I know it isn’t!” she stated loudly, before sagging into me, and I held her tight to my body. “I know it isn’t, Ragnar,” she said softly, “There’s an attraction, and maybe it’ll turn into something else. But it’s been so long, and he made his choice. He chose the blood over his wife.” 

“Where is he?” 

“Gone. He hit me a couple of times, packed his few things, and left. To be honest, I thought he would turn, then try and kill me. But he made do with calling me a few names before he stormed out. But it was time to force the issue. I know he loved me, but he also had a duty regarding certain things, which he refused. So I said I would go looking elsewhere if he was to make that choice.” She leaned back, and I used my hand to clean away the blood. “Can you just hold me tonight, Ragnar? I want to be intimate, but I just want to feel your arms wrapped around me tonight.” 

“Can I undress you first?” 

“Do it slowly.” 

I took my time, and she slowly started to smile as her skin was exposed. Once she was nude, she did the same to me, and once I was naked, we slid under the covers. I held her in my arms, gently stroking her skin with my fingers, and she eventually grabbed my wrist and moved it between her legs, as she quietly pleaded for me to get her off. I didn’t mind at all, and after her climax, she turned to face me, burying her face into my chest as she wept. “Fucking bastard,” she sobbed. 

“Do you want me to find him and take care of it?” 

“No. He’ll be long gone. He’s an expert tracker. To be honest, Ragnar, I can only suggest you watch your back.” 

“I’ll be fine. And I have plenty of friends. I’ll put the word out when I get back to Riften.” 

“Please don’t blame yourself. It was always going to happen. I haven’t been happy in a long time. I loved my husband, but in the end, it was the idea of him rather than anything else.” 

She eventually fell asleep against me, and I laid there thinking I’d just broken up a marriage. Astrid would deny that, as I think what she said was also true. It had been a long time coming. I mean, going a whole year without feeling the intimacy of your husband? No wonder she was so eager to be with me again, as I’d made it rather obvious, and quite blunt, that I would like to be intimate with her. But I just hoped she wouldn’t expect too much more from me. 

We didn’t make love the next morning, as I rose early, leaving her to sleep in bed. I crouched down next to her before leaving, running a hand through her hair as she looked at me before kissing her. She told me to be safe, and return to the Sanctuary once the job was done, and that we would hopefully enjoy some more time together upon my return. That was something to definitely look forward to, so I suggested I’d be rather eager to return as quickly as possible. That made her laugh, and after a final kiss, I left her to sleep. 

I couldn’t remember if I’d ever been to Dawnstar or not, but it took a bloody long time to get there from Falkreath, at least two nights camping on the way. And it was far to the north, so far that only snow covered the ground. It was a rather barren, white landscape, and due to the exposed nature of Dawnstar on the shores of the Sea of Ghosts, the wind ripped through the city and anyone who happened to be walking or riding through the exposed regions of the Hold. 

Finding the target wasn’t particularly difficult, as I asked where Iron-Breaker Mine was, and was pointed in the right direction, the mine lying on the outskirts of the city. Finding Beitild wasn’t too difficult, being the angry, bitter, raven-haired miner, who looked just about to have given up on life. I spent a couple of days tracking her movements, as I didn’t want to be caught in the act. She spent all of her time between three places. Her house, the mine, or the inn. 

The most obvious place was her house, as she lived alone, though spent little time there, only returning to sleep each evening. On the day I chose to do it, I spent most of the day wandering the northern coast, taking in the view. There was a harsh beauty to the northern sea, and it was so cold, ice formed in certain places. Few animals and little vegetation abounded, adding to the bleakness. It remained dry, but bitterly cold. 

I completed the job at night. I won’t go into detail, but as it wasn’t personal, I made it quick and as painless as possible. But upon returning to the inn to sleep, I still felt nothing. No guilt. No sorrow. No… anything. Just like when I’d killed for Muiri. Just like when I’d killed Grelod. So I guess I was the perfect choice for the job. Losing Muiri and having my heart ripped out probably helped at the same time. 

Leaving Dawnstar under the cover of darkness, I camped at a ruin I was aware of a couple of kilometres outside of town. It was a rather cold night under the furs, but I had made sure that few had noticed my presence around town, but figured that Beitild going missing would be noticed quickly, so I made sure to rise with the sun in the morning and head south straight away. 

Walking into the Sanctuary almost a week after I’d left, Astrid was pleased to see me and happy the mission was completed without a problem. Considering I’d now proven myself twice, as she remembered the fact I had willingly killed Grelod, even though that was ‘owed’, she made my position within the Brotherhood official. “How do you want to celebrate?” she wondered, the smile on her face letting me know how she thought we should do it. 

I’m not sure how much later we finally slept. I could count up her climaxes, but that would just feed my ego. I enjoyed at least three during the night as we explored each other’s bodies with our mouths and hands. She was an absolute sexual dynamo, releasing years of pent up sexual frustration. On that very first night, she gave me everything she could, and you should probably know what I mean by that, as she joked the next morning that she would have some trouble sitting down for breakfast. But as we laid together under furs the next morning, it felt just like it was with Haelga. Plenty of affection after a night of passion, and I was slowly but surely starting to feel myself restored to how I was before Muiri. 

“I’ll be returning to Riften today,” I told her over breakfast. 

“I understand. And I won’t use a courier to contact you. I think I could find reason to visit Riften every so often.” 

“I’d like that. But, please remember, you might meet Haelga if you do show up unannounced”

“I won’t be offended, Ragnar. I’m intrigued.”

“You share similarities. Blonde. Nordic. Beautiful.”

“And we like the sex?”

I laughed, replying, “No, you both love it.”

“I’m sure I’ll visit you quite soon, Ragnar, if it’s anything like last night.”

“It can be like that all the time and even better.”

“Definitely plenty of reason to visit Riften more often then.”

I was polite enough to walk Astrid back to the Sanctuary before returning home. Standing close to me, she reached up to stroke my cheek, a smile on her face, the sort of smile I’d seen before from certain women in my life, though I think the reason for hers was a little different. After another long kiss, holding her tightly to mine, our desire building for each other as we did, I eventually pulled away and wished her farewell. She replied again that she would be in Riften sooner rather than later.

I told no-one what I was doing on my return to Riften, but in addition to still being master of the Thieves Guild, technically at least, I was now, for all intents and purposes, an assassin.


	21. Silence Broker

Astrid didn’t lie. She found reason to visit Riften rather quickly, no more than a couple of weeks after my own visit to the Sanctuary. Of course, she knew where I lived, and Haelga was at my place when Astrid knocked on my front door. I found the two women meeting rather amusing. Haelga was blunt in her questioning as to who she was. I said she was my lover in Falkreath, and that she was my boss otherwise. Haelga didn’t ask too many questions about what I did, and although I hated lying to her, I couldn’t freely admit what I did either. 

Inviting Astrid in, the two women sat with me at the dining room, and I found it amusing how alike the two women were, at least in appearance. The conversation remained pleasant, Astrid more than aware of who Haelga was, as I’d explained who she was, while Haelga was never jealous of anyone else I was with, though did joke about the fact I’d found a woman rather similar to her in various ways. Admittedly, I would find it difficult to be with anyone even slightly similar to Muiri… 

“So will you be wishing to stay the night?” Haelga asked of Astrid. 

“That’s why I’m here. We need to talk first, but I didn’t plan on returning to Falkreath until tomorrow.” 

“Good thing I haven’t worn him out too much.” Haelga then looked at me. “Would she be interested in our room though?” 

Shrugging, I said, “I’m not sure. We’ll have to see.” 

“Room?” Astrid asked. 

“Oh, I’m sure Ragnar will find it rather fun showing you what’s in there. And, trust me on this, you might find yourself having quite a lot of fun in there too.” 

Astrid looked at me, now wondering what Haelga was talking about. “We can look later, if you want.” 

Haelga did eventually leave, putting on a little show by kissing me hard and practically feeling me up before she left, whispering not so quietly about how sore her arse was after the night before. She probably wasn’t lying, as things were very hot, heavy and rough the night before, the pair of us slowly building back up to where we were before things had originally ended. Once I was alone with Astrid, she looked at me questioningly. “What was she talking about?” 

“I can show you later, if you’d like. But what brings you here?” 

“I have news, Ragnar. I’ve taken a chance leaving the Sanctuary to bring it to you, but I’m hoping you will return with me tomorrow. Because you’re so new, and don’t know a lot about us, I find myself thinking you might be the only person I can trust.” 

“Huh? What are you talking about?” 

“It’s a long story, to do with the history of the Brotherhood.” 

“Okay, I’ll get you a drink and we’ll sit near the fire. Wine okay?” 

“It was a long ride. A cup of wine would be wonderful.” 

Once sitting together on the lounge, Astrid sitting as close as possible to me, she started to explain the Brotherhood. About Sithis. The Night Mother. The history of what had happened since the Oblivion Crisis. The destruction and loss of sanctuaries around Tamriel. She admitted that the Sanctuary in Falkreath was truly the last, and that she led what was truly the last remnants of a once ruthless but proud organisation. 

“That’s not all,” she continued, “We’ve had an arrival in the past week. A person and package from Cyrodiil.” 

“Who?” 

“The Night Mother herself. Or what’s left of her. Her sarcophagus, to be exact. And her Keeper.” 

“You don’t sound pleased about this.” 

“Between you and me, I’m not. We stopped using the five tenets long ago. But I can already sense loyalties are divided. Though the others will continue to obey my orders, I know the arrival of the Night Mother has already caused ripples of discontent, some believing we should return to our roots. None of this matters, though, as we don’t have a Listener. They are the only one to communicate with the Night Mother herself.” 

“And you’re concerned…” 

“Her Keeper, Cicero, is a fucking lunatic, Ragnar. Off the deep end. I guess it’s no surprise when you lug a corpse around, and who knows what he does with it in privacy. But it’s already obvious he does not like me at all. He’s no leader, but he will use the fact the Night Mother is now present to undermine my authority.” 

“What do you want of me?” 

“Your presence at the Sanctuary for a few days.” 

“Okay.” 

She looked at me in surprise. “I was expecting…” 

“Astrid, I like you already, and it’s not like I’m doing much else. If you want or need my help, you have it.” 

“Thank you, Ragnar. I’m not sure what I’ve done to already earn such loyalty.” I gave her a look, which made her laugh. “Well, there is that aspect, but…” 

“I can see you care, Astrid. That’s a good reason too.” 

After a couple of cups of wine, we ended up upstairs, Astrid intrigued as to the room Haelga had mentioned. She had a good giggle at a few things, though suggested that, while intrigued by one or two of the apparatuses, she’d rather keep most of our lovemaking or fucking to the bedroom, and the bed. 

We enjoyed the night together and I showed my full appreciation for her body. Her body was a thing of beauty, quite athletic and she proved to be quite flexible at times. She also had stamina, so much like that night in the inn in Falkreath, our lovemaking lasted a couple of hours, finally having to stop, a pair of heavy breathing, sweaty but rather satisfied lovers. Lying on my back, she cuddled into my side, continuing to make out as her hand stroked my chest, feeling her fingers occasionally trail along a scar or two. She had a few herself, and she explained how she had gained one or two of them. She then told the story of how she’d come to work for the Brotherhood. I wasn’t surprised by it, considering what she now did, but it was an explanation at least. 

I let Haelga know I would be leaving a few days the next morning. She knew it was primarily for work, but our relationship was now as close as before, so she whispered plenty of naughty things in my ear about what she would do to herself while I was gone, before giving me the sort of kiss that would have me wanting to carry her upstairs. She was very much a tease like that, so I simply said I would return as soon as possible, because she would be spending all night in the Dibella room upon my return. She found that prospect very exciting. 

Arriving outside the Sanctuary later that day, Astrid and I tied up our horses well away from the main road and walked inside. She stopped me near her table and gave me a little more information. All she wanted was for me to integrate with the rest of them. Talk to them. Get to know them. And subtly try and understand if they were happy about the Night Mother arriving or not. The last thing she mentioned is that I would be sleeping in her room. 

“Won’t that cause… issues?” I had to wonder. 

“They know Arnbjorn left me. They saw what he did to my face. No, it won’t cause an issue, and anyone who does have one can talk to you.” The smile on her face suggested she wouldn’t mind me defending her however I saw fit. But I was still worried. 

“Astrid, I’m not…” 

She stepped forward, closing my lips with her right hand. “I’m not looking for a replacement, Ragnar. And I know you’re not. Definitely not. But it’s obvious we like each other. Is that true?” I nodded my head. “I’m aware of your personal history. I’m not expecting anything except for you to share my bed while you are here. And while sharing my bed, I’m hoping we will enjoy each other intimately. Would you like that?” I nodded again. “That’s all I want too.” 

She removed her hand. “Okay,” I said quietly before she hugged me. “I am sorry about everything,” I added. 

“It’s not your fault. It was a long time coming, but I guess the mutual attraction and the fact I was willing to sleep with you rather quickly… Well, that’s all on me, Ragnar. You are not to blame. And my hus… Well, he is also responsible for choosing something else over his wife.”

“He was an idiot, Astrid. I’m no saint, but if it was between you and…” 

She didn’t let me finish, her mouth eager for mine, and any idea of me joining the rest of her group ended as I found myself dragged into her bedroom, door closed by her foot, and I was quickly undressed and pushed back onto her bed, where she leapt on me and… Well, let’s just say she slept very well later that night. Holding her in my arms as she drifted off to sleep, murmuring that she was happier than she’d been in a long time, I knew I had the same feelings for her that I had for Haelga. I had two blonde Nordic beauties as lovers. I would never love them like my wife, but maybe I would love them like… I’m not sure. I knew I’d never marry again. Muiri would always be my one and only. But I would treat Haelga and Astrid near enough the same. 

The next few days were spent mostly in the Sanctuary, getting to know the rest of the Brotherhood. It was rather easy to figure out where loyalties lay. Babette near enough considered Astrid her mother. Nazir would only ever follow Astrid, though respected the position of the Night Mother. Gabriella expressed her support for the arrival of the Night Mother, though figured out rather quickly why I was getting to know and speak with everyone, and assured me she still respected Astrid and her position. Festus Krex shared the same opinion as Gabriella, his opinion of Astrid significantly harsher than the Dunmer. Veezara was indifferent, respecting Astrid though intrigued as to what the arrival of the Night Mother would mean for the Brotherhood in Skyrim. 

Then there was Cicero. He was a fucking nutcase. Lunatic. I think probably a little insane. Trying to converse with him was incredibly frustrating. Most of the time, I just gave up. He didn’t exactly talk in riddles, but it was obvious rather quickly that he detested Astrid and his worship of the Night Mother verged on… Well, I wouldn’t have accused him of defiling the corpse to his face but… jokes may have been made… 

It was a few days later, lying in bed with Astrid late one night after another couple of hours of rather intense lovemaking, that we discussed what I thought. “They’re split,” I admitted, “Two back you completely, and care little about the Night Mother. Two think the arrival of the Night Mother has restored the Brotherhood and means you should relinquish leadership. The fifth doesn’t care either way.” 

“And Cicero?” she asked. 

“He’s fucking insane. And he definitely doesn’t like you. No doubt he’ll do whatever he can to undermine your authority and ensure everyone eventually follows the wishes of the Night Mother.” 

“And you?” she asked quietly. I turned her around before rolling on top of her, sliding my cock inside her again, watching the smile form on her face. I didn’t reply for a little while, enjoying the slow thrusts into her as her mouth searched for mine. “You’re trying to distract me,” she finally said, though she said that with a smile. 

“I’m yours, Astrid,” I whispered. 

That made the smile on her face only broaden, and it was only when we finished later that we continued our conversation. “I don’t trust him,” she confessed. 

“Nor do I, but what can we do?” 

“Leave it with me. I’ll think of something.” 

“Considering what I’ve already done for you, all you need do is ask.” 

I heard a soft sigh. “I’m sorry, Ragnar…” 

“For what?” 

“Losing her. Because if you were even half the man you were with her than you are with me, then little wonder…” 

Running my hands up and down the soft skin of her stomach, I simply said, “Because you’ve already proven more than deserving of everything I’m willing to give.” 

“Ragnar, can I admit something?” 

“Sure.” 

“I’m feeling a little sore and tender. It’s been a long time since my pussy has seen so much action. And longer since I had it so hard and fast at times. She’s crying enough for the moment.” 

“Want me to stop?” 

“No, but tomorrow night, you can have my arse, though only after you’ve had my mouth. Maybe you can finish on my face?” She smiled as the thought excited me. “And I think something inside me liked those ideas.” 

I rolled onto my back, taking her with me, so she rested on my chest, kissing her gently. “Well, like the rest of you, your arse is perfect,” I said softly. 

I watched her eyes close, and a couple of tears fall down her cheeks, so I held her close to me. “Why did he…” 

I shushed her. “Don’t think about him.” 

“This is all I wanted, Ragnar. My husband to be with me like this, to show how much he loved me.” She lifted her head, leaning up to kiss me. “I love you, Ragnar.” 

“Astrid…” 

“No, you don’t have to say anything. It might seem quick, but I liked you immediately. I’ll admit, when I had you lying there helplessly, I had some rather unsavoury thoughts about what I wanted to do to you. Then when we were intimate the next time I saw you, I realised what I’d been missing in my life. That night in the inn was the most love I’d felt from a man in years. And this past week, everything we’ve done, everything we’ve shared, I’ve listened to what you said. I know you love Haelga, and you may love me in your own way. Neither of us will replace who you lost, and I don’t expect either of us will ever do so. But I trust you with my life, Ragnar.” 

I kissed her as she started to ride me hard and fast, her climax arriving rather quickly, holding her again once she was finished, as she released some more pent up emotion. Little wonder, as she’d been untouched by the man she had loved most for years. I liked her immensely. Possibly even loved her. I still found it difficult to figure out my feelings after everything. I enjoyed my time with Haelga, and although it felt like it did before Muiri, a little part of me was missing. And probably always would be. 

“I can’t say those words, Astrid. But I can give you my promise.” She looked up to meet my eyes. “I will never hurt you. I will never break your trust. And, most importantly, I will protect you from anyone who tries to take you down.” 

My presence in the Sanctuary had been quickly accepted. The young vampire, Babette, found it rather amusing how quickly Astrid had moved me into her room, but considering she was three-hundred-years old, she was old enough to understand why. Everyone else was pleased just to see a new face after so many years of stagnation, though were probably smart enough to realise I was an ally of Astrid, first and foremost. Nazir joked about the fact Astrid seemed very pleased that I was present, noting that she was rather vocal during the evening. I chose to look smug instead of embarrassed, which just made him laugh. 

Everyone was given a contract while I was there, surprised at how much news did filter back to the Sanctuary about Black Sacraments being performed. Being the last of the Brotherhood, the others did find themselves sent across Tamriel to provide contracts, even into Thalmor occupied lands. At one stage, only Astrid, Cicero and I were left in the Sanctuary, so I spent most of my time around Cicero, ever more convinced he was insane, but also left plotting something, though whether alone or with people he’d managed to influence, I wasn’t sure. 

I’d been at the Sanctuary for around three weeks when I sat down with Astrid and gave her my thoughts. “There is no doubt Cicero is trying to split those loyal to you and those who wish to see the Night Mother resume her role as Matriarch of the Brotherhood.” 

“I can take a guess as to those he’s working on.” 

“He’s quite obviously insane. I mean, he’s off the fucking deep end, Astrid. Quite frankly, even I find his presence here concerning. As for the Night Mother, I guess the choice is yours. We either accept her presence here and wait for a Listener, or we somehow get rid of her and Cicero, and carry on how you want.” 

“I can’t get rid of her. Even those who claim loyalty to me still respect the Night Mother. As for Cicero, all I can ask if that you continue to observe and listen. I’ve talked to him once or twice myself, but I know he trusts me as much as I trust him in return.” 

“I’ll do what I can.” I paused, and that caught her attention. “One other thing…” 

“You want to go home for a while?” 

“Yes. I’ve been here a three weeks. I did tell Haelga I’d only be gone a few days, and quite naturally, she worries about me.” 

“Go, Ragnar. It’s fine. But don’t be gone too long… for me?” 

“Just a couple of nights. I’ve become quite used to sleeping next to you already.” 

She laughed. “Yeah, sleeping, Ragnar…” 

Returning to Riften the next day, the first place I visited was the Bunkhouse. As expected, Haelga was delighted to see me, dragged me upstairs, and I didn’t leave until a few hours later, with a promise that she would come to mine for dinner that night. Having spent so little time with the Guild in the past few months, I headed down to the Flagon, and it was nice that everyone was delighted to see me. Even Vex gave me a tight hug at my appearance. The cistern was as busy as ever, and Brynjolf showed me the vault, where nearly everything Mercer had stolen had been replaced. We had allies across Skyrim and Tamriel, and he assured me they were working to my ideals. Yes, we were thieves at heart, but we helped those even less fortunate than ourselves. Most still hated the Guild and everything we stood for, but slowly but surely, some considered us thieves but with good hearts. 

I had a chat with Delvin while I was there, letting him know what I was doing. Apparently Arnbjorn leaving Astrid had made news in the Guild, and he was more than aware of my burgeoning relationship with Astrid. He thought it was rather amusing and said I should just enjoy myself. “Astrid is a fine woman, boss. I can admit I’ve fancied her from afar for a long time. Wouldn’t give me the time of day.” 

“She was with Arnbjorn?” 

“No, it wasn’t that. Thieves and assassins don’t mix too well. And while I understand what they do, there’s a part of me that finds it a little horrifying. In my mind, what we do is rather victimless. We don’t commit murder. That’s the business of the Brotherhood, and I wonder how much blood is even on her hands.” He leaned in close, as he added quietly, “Just be careful, boss. Even though you’re not here much, it’s your legacy that keeps this place going. We work by your ideals, and this is what’s kept us going so far.” 

“Thanks, Delvin. I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me.” 

“None of us will tell us what to do, boss. But I can give you one piece of advice. Watch your back. At the end of the day, you are with a bunch of cutthroats.” 

Haelga arrived for dinner that night, and after I’d taken her coat, to reveal she was nude underneath, eating dinner was quickly forgotten, as she took the lead, heading straight towards the Dibella room. We had dinner much later than planned, only when Haelga was left sweating heavily and very sore. She sat on my lap as we ate dinner, my cock still buried in her arse, which caused me to chuckle half the time, while she near enough had an orgasm halfway through dinner, since she wouldn’t stop moving. 

We returned to the Dibella room after dinner for a couple of hours more fun, and it was rather amusing when I carried her back to the bed as I’d worn her out completely. But the smile on her face was worth it as she snuggled into my chest, and it was while she was half asleep that I told her how I felt about her again. She looked up and smiled, told me she felt the same way, as she always had, and fell asleep against me. 

She was still smiling the next morning. I thought I had to clarify what I said, but it was her turn to shush me, as she knew how I felt about her. It would never be like it was with Muiri. She knew how much I’d loved her, and she knew how it felt to have your heart ripped out when you lost them. So the love we had for each other would never be the same, but we would still have each other. And I would have other women too. She might have the occasional man if I wasn’t around, as she knew I still didn’t mind that fact. 

“And Astrid?” she wondered over breakfast. 

“Having spent a few weeks with her, I can admit there are feelings.” 

“Understandable, as I could see that she really liked you in return.” 

“Well, I have two beautiful blonde Nordic women to satisfy now.” 

“Only two women?” she laughed. 

“Give me time, Haelga. I haven’t done a lot of travelling lately. I might have to return to Whiterun soon. I remember a good friend I made there who might be interested in rekindling a potential romance.” 

“A woman in every city? 

“Would that worry you?” 

“Only if I didn’t get to see you very often, Ragnar. Otherwise, I’ll take what I can get.” 

“As I’ve always said, if you find someone else, Haelga…” 

“I don’t want marriage or children, Ragnar. My opinion on that hasn’t changed. I’ve loved, I’ve lost. I love again, but we both know it’s different for both of us this time. Can anything replace that first love?” 

I had to admit she was absolutely right. So we agreed to simply enjoy each moment we were together and damn what anyone else thought. 

The third and last night I spent in Riften before returning the Sanctuary was with Karliah at the Hall. We hadn’t seen each other that much, particularly while I was married, so we used the time as an excuse to catch up all the news. She’d made a real home for herself in the Hall, though I was a little saddened to hear she did find herself a little lonely at times, as although she’d recruited a couple of Nightingales, she simply didn’t allow herself to get close to anyone else. 

Except me, as she freely admitted to missing me terribly. So I guess it was of little surprise that I ended up spending the night. That hadn’t been my intention at all, but after a couple of drinks, we ended up making out on her bed. And once she was naked and my face was in a certain position on her body, sex was always going to follow. We had a lot of fun that night, and although we made no promises to do it again, we agreed that, if the mood took us, we wouldn’t deny each other the pleasure. I returned to Riften before leaving for the Sanctuary. Walking into the Bunkhouse, Haelga took one look at me and laughed. “Karliah?” 

“How do you know?” 

“You have a look on your face after enjoying that sweet little Dunmer.” 

“It won’t be a constant…” 

She walked towards and hugged me. “I told you I don’t care, Ragnar. But are you leaving soon?” 

“I’ve got to head back to Falkreath. I promised Astrid I’d only be gone a couple of days. There are things that need doing.” 

“How long this time?” I could only shrug. “Well, I’ll look forward to when you do. And I’ll miss you. And Ragnar?”

“Yes?”

 “I love you.” I wanted to say those words back to her. I did love Haelga. But, sorry for repeating myself, it wasn’t the same as Muiri. And I still thought Haelga deserved more than I could ever give her. I didn’t hesitate, wasn’t given the chance to even begin to stutter a response, as she immediately hugged and kissed me. “I know you feel the same way, and it’s okay. Because I know you didn’t just lose her. You lost everything.” 

I hugged her tightly to my body. “I won’t hurt you again, Haelga. That I can promise. This thing between us won’t end again.” 

“And that’s the only thing I want to hear from you. Whatever the case, I’m yours, Ragnar.” 

I leaned back and caressed her cheek, staring into her eyes. The love and devotion returned were things I simply didn’t deserve. So I put everything I felt into the last kiss I gave her before I left. If she doubted even for a moment how I truly felt, I hope that kiss told her everything she needed to know. 

Part of me didn’t particularly want to leave her there and then, but she escorted me to the door and, after kissing my cheek, told me I should go, but that should would be waiting for my hopefully inevitable return. I didn’t give many promises, as they were always hard to keep, but I promised Haelga I would return. 

Returning to Falkreath after dark, as my arrival was delayed as my goodbye to Haelga took a while, but Astrid was still pleased to see me. She usually kept it professional in front of everyone else, but once in the bedroom with the door closed, she was all over me with her kisses. I was left thinking she missed me, and she did say as much once she finally took a step back. 

“I’m glad to see you, Ragnar. I’ve learned a thing or two while you’ve been gone.” 

We took a seat at the small table in the bedroom, ensuring the door was closed, before our conversation continued. “Okay, what have you learned?” 

“Cicero is up to something, I’m sure of it. But I can’t figure out what. I need your help.” 

“What do you need?” 

The smile on her face was beautiful, lighting up her eyes in such a way, I felt my heart beat a little faster. If she doubted what I’d do for her, she was about to learn I’d do nearly anything. And it didn’t matter if it was just for her or was for the Brotherhood. “I need you to hide in his room and find out who he’s conspiring with. I have no doubt he intends to drive me away, even kill me. I don’t trust him at all, and I’m sure he’s trying to influence the others.” 

“Okay. When?” 

“It’s rather late, and he’s in there sleeping now. We’ll do it soon, at some time tomorrow.” 

“So what would you like to do until then?” 

My face was buried in her arse about five minutes later, and she was definitely sore the next morning. I was feeling rather tender myself, as she wanted it harder than I expected, but when she was underneath me, her calves against my shoulders, as I buried myself harder and faster with each passing minute, the look in her eyes was exactly the same as I would see in Haelga’s. I would stop and lean down further to kiss her, proving how flexible she really was. Adding to that I’d go even deep inside her, and it was little wonder she even managed an orgasm from doing that. I absolutely loved Haelga, despite feeling incapable of saying it because I was pathetic. There was no doubt I was falling in love with Astrid too. She knew, and like Haelga, didn’t expect me to say anything. Saying those three little words while I was buried in her arse did bring me to a stop, as part of me wanted to laugh at the fact we were doing that and she expressed those feelings, but it still made me feel good about our continually burgeoning relationship. 

The next morning, after we made love again, proving Astrid was just as insatiable as I could be, as I’d be ready to go at the drop of a hat, I wandered around chatting with others until I saw Cicero leave where he had the Night Mother positioned. Walking into the room, I noticed there were few places to hide and listen into any of his conversations. Whether he was actually conspiring with anyone, I couldn’t be sure, but I wanted to put Astrid’s mind at ease. 

Then I looked at the sarcophagus. “Fuck it,” I muttered to myself. 

Opening it up, I was expecting to be hit with the horrendous smile of a rotting corpse. While I wouldn’t say it smelled fresh, it wasn’t as horrific as I thought it would be. Then I heard Cicero approach, so I quickly pulled the lid shut and I was stuck in the darkness with the Night Mother. It was fucking creepy. 

What was slightly creepier was the fact that Cicero rambled on talking to the Night Mother. If I needed any further proof he was insane, there it was, but I could almost understand why. He was desperate to hear her voice. I didn’t understand what a Listener was, but I assumed that, somehow, she spoke to someone. I’d heard of enough crazy shit to know such a thing was possible. 

Then I heard a voice, and I’ll admit I almost pissed and shit my pants. “Poor Cicero. Dear Cicero. Such a humble servant. But he will never hear my voice. For he is not the Listener.” 

I glanced at the corpse, and shook my head, figuring I was probably going as nuts as Cicero outside. I didn’t just hear a voice. Did I? Cicero continued to ramble on about hearing the Night Mother speak. Then I heard the same voice. 

“Oh, but I will speak. I will speak to you. For you are the one. Yes, you. You, who shares my iron tomb, who warms my ancient bones. I give you this task. You are to journey to Volunruud. Speak with Amaund Motierre.” 

I was fairly sure I wasn’t going crazy now. But the Listener? I was a fucking nobody! Well, maybe not a nobody. I was Guild Master for a pack of thieves. Why would I be chosen to be the Listener of the Brotherhood? I’d just joined the group. Why wasn’t someone like Astrid more worthy? Or Festus Krex, who’d made it quite clear where his allegiance lay since the arrival of the Night Mother. 

Then the lid burst open, blinking rapidly as my eyes adjusted to the light. And there was Cicero, a look of murder on his face and in his eyes. “What? What treachery! Defiler! Debaser and defiler! You have violated the sanctity of the Night Mother's tomb! Explain yourself! Speak, worm!” 

I stepped forward, pushing his backwards at the same time. “Back off, clown, lest you find my sword buried in your gut. The Night Mother just spoke to me.” 

“She... She spoke to you? More treachery! More trickery and deceit! You lie! The Night Mother speaks only to the Listener! And there is... no... Listener!” 

“Darkness rises when silence falls. That’s what the Night Mother told me to tell you.” 

The blank look on his face suggested I shouldn’t know that phrase, or at least those words in that particular order. “She... She said that? She said those words... to you? 'Darkness rises when silence dies'? But those are the words. The Binding Words. Written in the Keeping Tomes. The signal so I would know. Mother's only way of talking to sweet Cicero...” 

“That’s what she said to me.” 

He started to dance like a fool. “Then... it is true! She is back! Our Lady is back! She has chosen a Listener! She has chosen you!” He laughed like a maniac as he added, “All hail the Listener!” I thought he was about to step forward to embrace me, so I raised my hands to ensure he didn’t think about it. 

He kept rambling on, no doubt drawing attention. And it wasn’t a surprise when Astrid burst through the door no more than a minute later. My eyes immediately went to her, and I noticed the concern when she looked at me, before they turned to fury when they looked at Cicero. “By Sithis, this ends now! Back away, fool! Whatever you've been planning is over!” She looked at me, her eyes softening as I stepped towards her, her to me, “Are you all right? I heard the commotion. Who was Cicero talking to? Where's the accomplice?” She glanced away again. “Reveal yourself, traitor!” she demanded harshly. 

Cicero was still giddy, dancing away. “I spoke only to the Night Mother! I spoke to the Night Mother, but she didn't speak to me. Oh no. She spoke only to him! To the Listener!” 

Astrid looked at me, the same concern in her eyes. But I noticed something else… “What? The Listener? What are you going on about? What is this lunacy?” 

Before I could answer, Cicero cut in. “It's true, it's true! The Night Mother has spoken! The silence has been broken! The Listener has been chosen!” 

I needed to nip this in the bud now, so I grabbed her hand and escorted her back to her bedroom. Closing the door, I sat her down on the bed, sitting down next to her. “Astrid, she spoke to me, but this changes nothing.” 

“But if you are…” 

“I don’t care. I am yours, Astrid.” 

“This will change things, Ragnar. There hasn’t been a Listener for decades. If you truly are…” She looked at me, judging my eyes. “She spoke to you? As in gave you specific instructions?” 

“She did. And Cicero, despite the fact he’s a fucking lunatic, confirmed the words I said. It’s why he’s… happy.” Astrid slumped, rubbing the temple of her forehead with her fingers. I grabbed her other hand, giving it a squeeze. “Astrid, trust me as much as I trust you.” 

She looked at me, more hurt than anything. “It’s not that…” 

“I follow your word above all when it comes to the Brotherhood, Astrid. Do you want to know what the Night Mother told me?” She nodded and gestured for me to continue. “I am to go to Volunruud and seek out a man named Amaund Motierre. If you want me to go, I will. But if you don’t want me to go, then I won’t.” 

“Stay with me tonight, and I’ll decide in the morning.” 

I knew what she wanted from me that night, so we spent the rest of the day apart. I suggested I speak to Cicero, to at least understand what it all meant. She was happy for me to do so, as she knew where my loyalty truly lied. I’d never have to assure her again. 

Cicero was still absolutely fucking nuts, but he was certainly a lot friendlier with me now that I was the Listener. I don’t add ‘apparently’ to describing myself, as I know the Night Mother spoke to me, as strange as it may sound. But while I didn’t tell him straight where my loyalties truly lay, I think he understood I wasn’t just going to throw Astrid to the wolves and perhaps take control of the Brotherhood. Astrid was my… Well, Babette had called Astrid her matron. I wouldn’t describe her as that, but though Astrid was my lover, my confidant, she was also my leader when it came to the Brotherhood. I was happy to follow her word. 

I suggested we all eat dinner together that night, Astrid agreeing that it was probably a good idea. She received questions about what would happen now that a Listener had been found, but she allowed me to answer that question, replying that, as far as I was concerned, nothing changed. The Night Mother might speak with me, but Astrid still gave orders. The only one who grumbled about that was Festus. Astrid and I shared a glance, but I knew we wouldn’t do anything about it unless he decided to make his move first. I knew that if he betrayed Astrid, I would kill him. 

Astrid and I only joined together in her bedroom once everyone else had retired for the evening. Once the bedroom door closed, she wasted no time taking off her skin tight armour so she was standing naked in front of me, her excitement already obvious. Two perfect breasts. A flat, toned stomach. Blonde patch of hair above her sex. A pair of the most perfect legs on a woman possible. The look in my eyes probably told her all my thoughts and more as she stepped towards me. My armour disappeared perhaps just as quickly as hers, and once my very erect cock was free, she dropped to her knees. 

“Now, Ragnar, this is what is going to happen. You will follow my every word?” 

“Of course, Astrid.” 

“So, I will suck your cock until you cum, preferably in my mouth. Then you will lick my pussy until I cum in return. Then you’ll fuck me until I cum again.” She licked up and down my shaft before finishing, “Then you will take me in the arse, where you may finish a second time.” 

“You’re bossy.”

“Are you complaining?” she asked before licking up my shaft again, teasing the head of my cock with her tongue. 

“No. I kinda like it actually. I love a woman who knows what she wants.” 

She licked up and down again. “Ragnar, I love you.” 

I leaned down to stroke her cheek and through her hair, closing her eyes as her head moving towards my palm. “I love you too, Astrid.” 

Her eyes opened wide and the smile made my heart flutter. There was no doubt she was in love with me. It was a nice feeling, a similar feeling something inside that I hadn’t felt since Muiri. I felt it with Haelga too, but I guess I just didn’t want to face facts. Maybe I could truly love again? Maybe I could love two women wholeheartedly? 

But first there was what Astrid was doing, as she happily swallowed my cock, her nose eventually bumping into me. But she didn’t need to swallow my whole length to get me off, though she was willing to do it time and again. She was different to Haelga, but no less enthusiastic, and as she blew me, I could her hand gently fondling herself at the same time. I would let her know how good it felt, how much I wanted to fuck her afterwards, but most importantly, how much I wanted to cum in her mouth, suggesting I’d cum elsewhere later on. 

When I came, she barely spilled a drop, ensuring her lips were clamped tightly as I felt a few spurts fire into her mouth. It was the kind of knee weakening orgasm every man loved, and once I was done, I had to take a seat on the nearby bed. Astrid sat before me, still on her knees, resting her head against one of my legs. The same look of love and devotion I saw in Haelga’s… 

Picking her up, she squealed as I threw her on the bed, dragging her forward by her legs, before burying my face between them. She moaned loudly when my tongue touched her, soon pressing herself down and rubbing herself against me as much as I was eating her out. At the same time, she was rather vocal, another reminder of Haelga, though perhaps not as rude. She just let me know what she liked and how much she liked it. 

Placing my hands on the back of her legs, I pushed them wide and apart, leaving her completely spread, dropping down to tease that puckered little hole of hers. She squirmed when I did that. “Later,” she breathed. 

“Just wanted to tease you,” I said, before returning to where she wanted me most. 

“I’d rather your cock there.” 

Bringing her to orgasm was quite simple, not to sound too arrogant. Though I teased her, not actually bringing her to climax at least three times before she finally groaned, “Make me fucking cum, Ragnar!” Her eyes were looking down at mine from where my mouth and tongue were still bringing her pleasure, the desire in them causing my cock to spring to life almost immediately. 

So I relented and helped make her cum. She was rather complimentary as she climaxed, and she couldn’t take more than one, helping me up so I could kiss her, both her hands running through my hair as her tongue did plenty of things in my mouth that made my cock harder, if possible. 

Shuffling so we could at least be slightly comfortable, I slid my cock inside her, earning a grateful smile, as she wrapped arms and legs around me. This wasn’t going to be fucking, not yet. For now, it was gentle and tender, an expression of the love we now shared, with plenty of kissing as her hands ran up and down my back, murmured compliments of my physique. Astrid was tight, hot and very wet, and I’d learned over the time we’d been together she loved sex just as much as myself. Just as much as Haelga. I had good luck when it came to women and their desires matching mine. Or maybe it was just me? 

Rolling onto my back, taking her with me, I quite happily lay back and watched her bounce up and down on my cock. “By Sithis, your cock is wonderful,” she stated. 

“What I’m looking at right now is pretty damned fine.” It was, as her breasts jiggled as she bounced, and the joy on her face simply made me smile whenever she looked at me. 

And in that position, I knew she was going to cum again. Nearly all women I had been with did climax in that position. Astrid eventually changed the way she was riding me, sitting forward so her hands were placed on my chest, her eyes staring into mine with an intensity I could only remember on a few times… from someone else… 

“I love you,” she whispered. 

“I know, Astrid. I feel the same way.” 

She kept riding, the smile as forming, though she asked, “You do?” 

I nodded, reaching forward to bring her face towards mine, laying a soft kiss on her lips. “I do.” 

Leaning back, she rode me as hard and fast as possible, and I knew she was now desperate for another climax. Bending my legs and grabbing her tightly by the hips, I started to match her bounces. She looked at me with surprise as she screamed about, then begged for me to fuck her as she continued to bounce as hard as possible. 

I’m sure she woke the entire Sanctuary when she climaxed again, continuing to ride me until she simply couldn’t take anymore, and I gently pulled her down so she laid against me, feeling her take a series of breaths, running my hands up and down her back, feeling her shudder at my touch as she was still sensitive. “By Sithis, Ragnar, will it always be this good?” 

“I bloody hope so!” 

We both had a good chuckle as she snuggled into me. “Give me a few minutes, then you can fuck my arse.” 

“I love the fact you’re so blunt sometimes.” 

“And the fact your cock just throbbed inside me would suggest you love the idea of fucking my arse.” 

“Yes. Yes, I do love the idea.” 

“As I said, Ragnar, I am yours as much as you are mine. My body is yours.” 

“I might have to mark your body to make it truly mine.” 

“How? A bite on my neck or cum on my face? Or something else entirely?” 

“I like the cum on the face idea.” 

“Tomorrow morning then.” 

She eventually slid off me, lying flat on the bed as she wiggled her butt, suggesting what she wanted next. There was already a bottle waiting on the bedside table, so I gave her a massage first, ensuring my cock laid in the valley of her arse cheeks before I finally positioned myself so I could eat her out first. She loved that, and loved it even more when I started to use my fingers to get her ready. 

Once I was lubed up, I slowly slid inside her, resting most of my body against hers, as she said she wanted to feel my breath in her ears or on her neck as I fucked her. I did surprise her, not being as gentle as I could when inserting my cock, crying out slightly though turning her head to show me her smile. “Well, looks like I’m in for a good time, Ragnar.” 

I didn’t reply, just sliding more cock inside her until my entire length was buried. “That’s my whole length,” I growled into my ear. 

“So big,” she whispered. 

“Sure you want it how I think you want it?” 

“Please,” she pleaded. 

I pulled back and thrust into her hard. She moaned loudly, if not grunted a little. “Sure?” I asked again. I was only teasing. I knew what she wanted. She turned her head to show her smile again. 

“Fuck me, Ragnar.” 

Wiggling her butt, she lay down flat but lifted her arse slightly for a moment, moaning again, as I put my lips to her ear. “This is going to hurt,” I whispered. 

“I don’t mind,” she whispered back. 

I started slow, letting her get used to my cock driving into her. She moaned each time, though turned her head so I could watch her eyes. She grimaced occasionally, but the smile remained on her face. Slowly turned up the pace, I was soon driving into her hard and fast, amazed that she could take it. Nothing like what I did with Haelga, but it was still surprising Astrid liked it how she did, though I’ll be honest, I think she did it for me too. 

There was no way I was going to last too long having already made love, and I whispered that I could feel another climax approaching. She just asked me to bury myself once I needed to and cum inside her. “Oh, there was nowhere else I was going to finish,” I said. 

“God, I love you,” she whispered. 

“You’re only say that because I’m buried in your arse.” 

“And I hope you’re there more often going forward. I’ve found a real love for it since our first time.” 

“I’ll never say no.” 

“Neither will I. So, fuck me hard and cum in me.” 

She got both over the next couple of minutes, enough so that I’m sure she was going to be sore in the morning, and once I enjoyed my second climax, I had to rest against her, barely keeping myself from squashing her. She managed to lift her head to kiss my cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered. 

“For what?” 

“For saying those words. I wasn’t sure if you’d ever be capable of telling me how you really feel.” 

I didn’t reply until I’d pulled out and helped clean her up. Facing each other, my arms wrapped around her, I kissed her before our conversation continued. “I had to tell you otherwise I’d drive myself stupid.” 

“Go to Volunruud, Ragnar. Leave tomorrow. I trust you to do the right thing by the Brotherhood.” 

“I’ll do the right thing by you too.” 

Snuggling into my chest, she murmured, “I have a feeling that I don’t deserve this, and don’t deserve you, Ragnar. Not after everything.” 

“You made a choice, Astrid. That’s all you did.” I lifted her chin with a finger and met her eyes. “I’m glad you chose me. I make no apologies for that.” 

With a smile, she said, “I’m glad I made that choice too. Too bad there’s no way to end a marriage unless one of the married partners dies. So, while I am estranged from my husband, as I have no idea where he now is, technically this is still considered infidelity.” 

“But do you care?” 

“After what we just shared?” She laughed loudly before adding, “By Sithis, not at all. I don’t care what anyone thinks now.” She buried her head into my chest again before stating, “You’re the one I trust above all. It’s funny saying that, considering how long I’ve know the rest of them.” 

“What have I done to earn that trust?” 

“You’ve never lied, about who you are and what you want. It’s rare in this business to have such honesty.” 

“Hopefully I’ll return with a decent contract.” 

Breakfast was amusing the next morning, as Astrid found sitting down a little difficult at first. No-one asked why though I received one or two amused glances, as it wasn’t difficult to figure out why, and the smile on her face would have told the story. She was a happy, content, well fucked woman. 

She joined me outside as I prepared my horse to leave. I wasn’t dressed in Brotherhood armour, not yet. I would only wear that when meeting the contact. Astrid wasn’t exactly sure where Volunruud was, but the maps we checked suggested it was far to the north, so I’d be gone for a few days at least. Her last instruction was for me to be safe, and I assured her I’d done plenty of similar things before, though I now had a good reason to ensure I didn’t do anything too stupid. 

Making it to Whiterun that evening, I asked around the Bannered Mare, and was told Volunruud was a Nordic ruin, almost directly to the north of the city, just over the border in a region of Skyrim called The Pale. Choosing to stay in the inn for the evening, I found myself joined by Ysolda, and it was just like old times, as we chatted, drank and danced together. She knew I was a widow but I think I left enough of a suggestion that I had moved on. Escorting her home that evening, she was apparently keen not to lose an opportunity like before, directly asking me to join her inside for the night. I wasted no time taking her into her bedroom, and I knew I would have a lover in Whiterun going forward. 

I made it to Volunruud not later than lunchtime the next day. Like other ruins I’d explored before, it was full of draugr, though they were already dead. It took a couple of walking down dead ends to find him, but I eventually found him in an empty chamber, guarded by a man in Imperial uniform. He would only have seen my eyes now that I was dressed in Brotherhood uniform. The army man looked nervous, though a glance into his eyes and a nod, my arms spread wide, suggested I was not a threat. 

Walking forward until I stood only a half dozen paces away, I said, “The Night Mother heard your pleas, Motierre.” 

He was more nervous than I would expect. Incredibly jumpy, to be honest, stumbling over his words as he replied. “So it would seem. Well, I won't waste your time. I would like to arrange a contract. Several, actually. I daresay, the work I'm offering has more significance than anything your organisation has experienced in, well, centuries.” 

“You have my interest. Continue.” 

“As I said, I want you to kill several people. You'll find the targets, as well as their manners of elimination, quite varied. I'm sure someone of your disposition will probably even find it enjoyable. But you should know that these killings are but a means to an end. For they pave the way to the most important target. The real reason I'm speaking with a cutthroat in the bowels of this detestable crypt.” 

“And who is that target?” 

He couldn’t help the smirk as he said the two words I almost expected. 

“The Emperor!”


	22. Murder Inc.

I went over everything Motierre told me as I rode back to the Sanctuary. The book of notes he also provided, if handed to the authorities, would have brought him and any of his associates down if I’d chosen to do so. The amulet he’d given as payment I didn’t recognise, but it looked exquisite, wondering just who the man I’d met exactly was. But the prospect of killing the Emperor himself? I was no Stormcloak supporter, but I wasn’t exactly a supporter of the current Imperial line either. I hadn’t been alive when the Septims had been alive, but it was when their line was extinguished that everything had begun to crumble. So killing the Emperor didn’t exactly bother me, if I was the one chosen to perform that operation. 

Astrid was happy to see me upon my return, though more eager to hear what I had to report. We sat down at her table and I showed her everything I’d been given. To say she was excited would be an understatement, though the amulet intrigued her. She knew of only one person who might know what it was. “I’m sure you know Delvin, considering you’re the Guild Master.” 

“Yes, he’s suggested before that he knows who you are.” 

“He’s carried affection for me a long time now. I’ll admit I might have used that to my advantage once or twice over the years.” 

I couldn’t help chuckle. “And he knows too.” 

“Can you take the amulet to Riften for me and let me know what he thinks? If it’s what I think it could be, then we have quite the little mischief maker on our hands.” 

I left for Riften immediately. It necessitated an overnight stop under the stars, but Astrid was keen to know just what we had on our hands, so I didn’t mind and a night in camp gave me plenty of time to think about things, including my relationships with Astrid and Haelga. After stabling my horse, I headed straight for the Flagon, though part of me did want to see Haelga first, though I’d go see her afterwards. As always, everyone was happy to see me appear, receiving plenty of questions as to what I was up to. Most were aware that I was working for the Brotherhood, though I also had one or two insinuations about my relationship with Astrid. I didn’t bother denying it, much to the amusement of Delvin. 

Sitting down with him, we enjoyed a tankard together first as he asked after Astrid. He also had information about Arnbjorn. “He’s still in Skyrim, that much I know.” 

“Exact location?” 

Delvin nodded, not needing to ask why I wanted to know. “I’m not sure, boss. You want to know?” I nodded in return. “I’ll find out what I can. We have enough friends around Skyrim to help us out nowadays.” A smirk formed as he asked, “So you really like her?” 

“I do, Delvin. And I will do whatever is necessary to protect her from threats inside or outside the Brotherhood.” 

He leaned forward, resting a hand on my shoulder. “Good to see you back on your feet, boss. It’s been a long time.” 

“Thank, Delvin. Now, the amulet.” 

He pulled back the cloth and whistled. “Where oh where did you get this?” He looked at me, shook his head. “Don't answer. I don't want to know.” 

“So, what is it exactly?” 

“This is an amulet of the Emperor's Elder Council. One of these is specially crafted for each member. Worth a small fortune. Ain't somethin' you'd give up lightly. Look, it ain't my business to tell the Dark Brotherhood its business, but if you killed a member of the Elder Council, you'd better belie…” 

“We haven’t killed anyone yet. What Astrid wants to know is what it’s worth and will you buy it?” 

“Buy it? This? An Elder Council amulet? Oh yes. Oh yes, indeed,” he stated excitedly, “Wait just one moment…” he added as he got to his feet and disappeared. Returning a couple of minutes later, he handed over a sealed letter, which I wouldn’t open when I returned to Astrid. “It's a letter of credit. Usable, by Astrid only, for any service or item I can provide. As per our standard arrangement. You bring that back to your lovely mistress. With my regards.” 

“Mistress?" 

“I can call her your lover to be more accurate.” 

“You wouldn’t be wrong.” 

I stayed in the Flagon for a few hours, enjoying a couple of tankards with everyone. I even flirted with Vex for a little bit. She knew what I was doing, and returned the flirting, leading to plenty of laughter from both of us, and jokes from everyone else. I think there was still a desire somewhere buried inside both of us to perhaps make that leap, but she knew of my relationships otherwise, and I had a feeling she didn’t just want to be another notch. I respected that, so I would endeavour to remain professional with her. 

The Bunkhouse did eventually call, heading upstairs at sunset. Haelga was busy at work when I entered, wrapping my arms around her and burying my face in her neck. She jumped slightly before realising it was me, dropping the broom and turning to embrace me. “Dinner at the Bee and Barb?” I asked. 

“Then we’ll go home to yours?” 

“Of course.” 

“I’ll be there in an hour.” 

“I’ll wait here. I’ll watch you work.” 

Ever just sat and watched a woman clean up? I’m not sure what it was, perhaps Haelga was making it seem… hell, I’d say even more erotic, but I found watching her work rather exciting. And she seemed to notice, as she eventually sat on my lap so we could make out for a little while. “Knew it would work,” she admitted a little later. I could only laugh as she stood up, reached under her dress and handed me her panties. No surprise they were wet, and I took a deep sniff of her scent. That just made me hard and she had to kick me out, otherwise she wouldn’t finish her work. 

After dinner at the Bee and Barb, where we enjoyed a roast dinner and a bottle of wine, we spent time chatting and flirting before we finally gave into temptation and headed back to my place. I was thinking she would just be interested in some lovemaking in the bedroom, but no. She wanted the Dibella room, though only to start with. Once satisfied in there, she admitted to wanting something a little more tender and loving afterwards. 

I didn’t hurry back to the Sanctuary, choosing to spend a day with Haelga. Leaving Svana to look after the Bunkhouse, I took her south of Lake Honrich, where we enjoyed a picnic on the shores of the lake before some rather public lovemaking in sunlight. There was something very exciting about having Haelga completely naked either under or on top of me during daylight hours, in such an exposed region, as we were barely a few metres away from the main road. If anyone passed by, we certainly didn’t know. 

We only left Riften for the day, returning to my place again for the evening. I cooked dinner for Haelga, earning plenty of compliments for my cooking as we enjoyed some fresh mammoth steak, potatoes and vegetables. As we sat together on the balcony watching the sun go down, she cuddled into me as the wind picked up slightly, providing a chill to the air. 

“Can I be honest, Ragnar?” 

“Of course.” 

“I really missed this while you were gone.” 

“I know it was difficult for you. But I gave her my word. I couldn’t break it.” 

“I know how much you loved her, and how much she meant to you. But were you ever tempted?” 

“Once or twice, whenever I saw you walking around town, and I could see you were sad, as I knew what would put a smile on your face. And I’ll be honest myself, I don’t think Muiri would have minded if I had. But then I remember what caused me to leave Cyrodiil…” 

“I’m sorry she’s no longer here, Ragnar. And I mean that with all my heart.” 

“I know, Haelga. And thank you. I’m glad you were so ready to accept me back in your life.” 

“I still loved you, Ragnar. I would have taken you back in an instant.” 

“I love you too.” 

She was quiet for a little while. “I love hearing you tell me that again. And I know you never really stopped loving me, deep down in your heart,” she said quietly, “Can you say that again as we make love in a minute?” 

I did just that. There was no Dibella room that night. There was only myself, Haelga, and the bed. Kissing, caressing, lovemaking, a lot of sweating, panting, moaning, compliments, whispered confessions of love, a few climaxes, and Haelga in my arms, spooning against me as she drifted off to sleep. I whispered again before she did that I loved her. My feelings for her were the same I felt for Astrid. I’m not sure about others, but I could easily love two or more women at once. Maybe I was just a greedy bastard. Maybe I didn’t quite know what love was, though I’m fairly sure I did, considering I’d married and given up nearly everything for her… 

She knew I would have to return to Falkreath the next morning, though that didn’t make our parting any easier. It was a little harder each time to leave her, as I thoroughly enjoyed her company, and not just the sex. Sure, I loved the fact that we made love or fucked every night we were together, but I would have happily just slept beside her… Though I’d have given into temptation eventually. She walked with me to the stables outside the city walls, only asking as always for me to be careful. And I promised her, as I had started to do, that I would return to her once whatever job I was doing was complete. 

It was dark by the time I made it to the Sanctuary, joining everyone as they were sat down for dinner. I took a seat near Astrid, a glance between us the only thing required to let her know I had the news she wanted. As for everyone else, they figured I’d either been on a job or had returned home for a day. They didn’t ask too many questions. If I wanted to share a story, I would if I chose to. 

Joining Astrid in her bedroom later, she made sure we had complete privacy before I told her everything. “So, what did Delvin say?” 

I handed her the letter first. She whistled and showed it to me too, assuming that he had bought the amulet. “Fifteen thousand septims? Fuck me!” I exclaimed. 

“Later,” she said with a laugh, “What about the amulet?” 

“Let’s say it’s specially made for members of the Elder Council.” 

“The Elder Council! Oh, now that explains quite a bit. Motierre, you naughty, naughty boy. Hiring the Dark Brotherhood to help you rise beyond your station. Delicious.” 

“So if we kill the Emperor, he, what, has a chance at the crown?” 

“Unlikely, but no doubt he believes he’ll have influence over whoever does take the throne next.” She opened up the letter from Motierre, reading that alongside the small booklet I’d also been given. “Well, well, well, he certainly has plenty of plans for us.” 

“What sort of plans?” 

She looked at me with a grin. The sort of grin that suggested she was finding all of this rather amusing. “I hope you have something nice to wear, Ragnar, because you're going to a wedding.” 

“Good thing I don’t mind them. When, where and who is the target?” 

She leaned across to kiss my cheek. “Oh, my newest recruit knows the right questions. No point asking why, though I guess it’s easy to figure out, right?” 

I kissed her back, and we forgot about everything for a couple of minutes, particularly once one of my hands wandered under the band of the trousers. She moaned into my mouth before breaking the kiss. “Anyone would think you have a one track mind, Ragnar.” 

“Maybe I find the idea of killing for you exciting. Can you explain what you want with my fingers inside you?” 

She took a deep breath and smiled. “I’ll try my best. So, you have to kill the bride at her wedding, or at least at the reception afterwards. The target is…” She had to stop as she needed to moan, her body starting to gyrate at what I was doing. “The target is…” She trailed off again, “Oh, Ragnar,” she breathed. 

“Tell me what I need to do, Astrid,” I breathed into her ear. 

She didn’t tell me at first, her mouth desperate for mine. She finally broke away to continue. “Vittoria Vici. She oversees the East Empire Company's business holdings in Solitude. The wedding is being held in that city, at the Temple of the Divines.” She had to stop and take a deep breath. “Ragnar, you need to…” 

“Continue, Astrid. Only when you’re done will you get what we both want.” 

“Tease,” she moaned, though she smiled, “Her death will cause an uproar, which is exactly what we want.” She trailed off again as she finally needed to lie down. I wasn’t doing anything other than gently sliding a couple of fingers into her, but there’s no doubt she found the whole idea exciting too. “Ragnar, once I’m done explaining, we’ll do everything, right?” 

“Just tell me,” I said quietly. 

“Vici is likely to address her guests frequently, as is the wedding custom. Kill her when she does that, and I promise you a significant bonus.” 

“Oh, what sort of bonus? The only thing I want is you, Astrid.”

 “Oh god,” she cried quietly, her body now gently bucking against my fingers. I still kept the pace gentle, though I was now hard as a rock. “Ragnar, please…” she pleaded. 

“Not until you tell me everything.” 

“A public kill is required. How you do that is up to you. Your choice, so long as it's loud and messy. Because of the current political climate, people are going to assume the murder is related to the bad blood between the Legion and Stormcloaks. In any event, when Vici dies, it's going to be complete pandemonium.” 

I removed her boots and trousers, exposing her glistening pussy to the candle light. She was soaking wet by now, and I returned my fingers to her sex, teasing her relentlessly. “What else?” I breathed in to her ear. 

“I need your mouth there,” she cried, kissing me desperately. 

“Not until you’ve told me. Why Vici? What makes her important?” 

“Vittoria Vici is the first cousin to our dear Emperor, Titus Mede II. Vici has obvious Imperial connections. Her husband has ties to the Stormcloaks. Their union is a step toward reconciliation. So if there's a murder at the wedding... Not only will it stall the peace process -- it will send shockwaves throughout the entire Empire. The Emperor's hand will be forced. He'll have to travel to Skyrim to deal with the aftermath. And that’s when he'll find the Dark Brotherhood waiting.” 

She cried out after that, and I knew she was close to climax. 

“When do I go?” 

“The day after tomorrow. You’ll have enough time to make plans. Now, please, Ragnar, I need…” 

I kissed her hard before I whispered, “I kill for you, Astrid.” 

I didn’t even have to lower my mouth to make her climax as she shuddered, turning towards me to hold on as she climaxed. The kiss we shared near enough made me shoot a load in my underwear, and I know why it was a kiss of such intensity. Resting her head against my chest, she finally murmured, “You did that on purpose.” 

“Who would have thought discussing murder would be such a turn on?” 

We ended up completely naked quite quickly, and we made love, mixing that with discussion about what I would do. I wanted her to come with me so we could work together, and while I think the idea thrilled her, she said more organisation was required for the other targets. Knowing I would be gone for a while, we made love for as long as possible until I was simply incapable of getting hard again. 

Astrid announced what I would be doing the next day, and I had offers of help from Veezara and Gabriella, both offering to join me in Solitude to assist. I was grateful for the offer, and we agreed to travel alone but meet in Solitude to make plans. Astrid and I had not been public with our affection, though everyone was more than aware of our relationship, so I was pleased when she stopped caring about what they all thought by kissing me hard just before I mounted my horse. “Come back to me, Ragnar,” she said, resting her head against me as I hugged her. 

“There is only one other woman I promise, Astrid. I will promise you too.” 

“Haelga?” 

“Yes.” 

“She’s a lucky woman. Just like me.” 

It was a two-day ride to Solitude, stopping for the night in Rorikstead instead of Whiterun, as staying there would have meant doubling back on myself. It was still light by the time I was on the road heading up the long hill towards the capital of Skyrim. There were signs that something important was happening, as there were more troops on patrol, and after stabling my horse, there were more checks on those entering the city than usual. 

Despite that, there was an air of excitement once inside the city walls. The market had tripled in size since my last visit, the crowds were enormous, most no doubt ready to watch the wedding or at least be present at the reception. Veezara and Gabriella met me at the designated point where we agreed on the plan I’d thought of on the ride. Babette had given me advice on a loose statue hanging above where the wedding party would convene. She suggested a good shove with my shoulder would lead to a very public death. Veezara and Gabriella agreed to the idea. Veezara would cover my exit, Gabriella would be the back-up with a poisoned arrow if the statue missed its mark. 

We slept in different places over the next two nights, though I doubt anyone gave us a second glance. We weren’t stupid enough to wear Brotherhood armour openly. I wore casual clothing, hoping to simply melt into the crowds. My colleagues would stand out a little more, simply due to be non-Nords in the Nordic capital, but there were enough Dunmer and Argonians around to not draw too much attention. 

The morning of the wedding, the air of excitement in the city was enormous. Elisif herself would be attending. I was sure I’d seen her before, but as I tracked her walking towards the temple for the wedding ceremony, I found myself having rather nice thoughts about her. She was utterly gorgeous. 

While the wedding ceremony took place, I got into position. I was surprised at the complete lack of security once inside the city, with very few guards patrolling around the temple. Good news for me, at least. Gabriella had stated she would signal once Vici and her husband would appear on the balcony below, and it would be then, while giving her speech, that I would ensure a bloody end to the wedding. 

Did I feel any guilt about what I was about to do? No. I was doing it for Astrid, as much as Alain and Nilsine were killed for my wife. I’d proven to myself time and again by now that I cared little for the lives of others, unless they were friends or lovers. I’m sure they had fancy terms to describe people like that. 

Waiting was rather boring, though I kept watch on Gabriella across the other side. When she signalled, I could hear excitement rise again before applause erupted, and I knew the bride and groom had made their appearance below me. I got into position, my shoulder resting against the statue, and I could feel how easy it was going to give way. 

I knew Vici was in the right position when he started her speech. “Good people of Solitude. My husband Aesgir and I thank you for coming to our reception. We thank you for sharing the love we have for each other. You have all helped make this a truly extraordinary wedding. All of my dreams…” 

Her sentence was cut off as I’d pushed the statue with everything I had, feeling stone rub against stone before it fell. There were screams and shouts from below as the statue no doubt crashed into the head of Vici below, killing her instantly. With the confusion and consternation below, I kept low and made for the exit point, knowing Veezara and Gabriella would be doing the same thing. 

We headed for a separate exit from the city, that would take us out just down the road from the docks. Gabriella had organised for our horses to be waiting for us, and we wasted no time mounting up and riding off. We probably looked completely suspicious, but we didn’t care. All we wanted was distance between us and the city. 

We split up not far from Solitude, agreeing to take different routes back south. I headed south and west towards Windhelm before deciding to turn south, while Veezara would head far to the west before heading to Falkreath. Gabriella would take the most direct route. It was the safest thing we could do, and I had little doubt the news of the assassination would spread like wildfire across Skyrim. Astrid would probably know before I returned, or at least Gabriella would let her know. 

Returning to Falkreath took longer than the journey to Solitude as I took my time. I didn’t think I was being tracked, and I was sure I hadn’t been noticed, but I wanted to be sure. I certainly didn’t want to lead the army near the Sanctuary. It was three days before I walked in, Astrid leaping into my arms upon seeing me, suggesting she was rather pleased by how everything happened. 

“The news is everywhere! Vittoria Vici, the Emperor's cousin, butchered at her own wedding! Well done! Let's see his eminence try to ignore this.” 

“So I did a good job?” 

“Good job?” she laughed, returning to her position at the table, “With Vici's murder, you've started us down a path the Dark Brotherhood hasn't travelled in centuries. The assassination of an Emperor.” 

“And I believe you mentioned something about a bonus?” 

“I remember. What would you like?” I gave her a look she would know rather well. “You’re rather simple at times, Ragnar. Not that I’m complaining. And it’s something I want too. You don’t want anything else?” 

“Just you, Astrid.” 

Walking around the table, she leaned against me as we kissed. “How would you like to tie me to the bed first? Just my wrists, as we would both like my legs free to do certain things, then my body is yours for whatever you want to do with.” 

“You have leather strips?” 

“Of course.” 

“And a bottle of oil?” 

“And what would you like to do with that, Ragnar?” 

“Cover you in it first. Perhaps give you a bit of a fondle.” I paused, before leaning forward to whisper into her ear, “Then absolutely pound your arse.” 

“And my pussy?” she breathed in my ear in return. 

“Oh, that will get plenty of attention first.” 

“Now?” 

“If you want.” 

Wrapping her arms around the back of my neck, she said, “Can you tell me all about it while you fuck me?” 

“Turns you on, doesn’t it?” 

“It does when you’re involved. You’re a gifted killer, Ragnar. I want to work by your side soon. We can kill together, then we can fuck afterwards.” 

“Most people would be horrified by that.” 

“And you?” 

“The adrenaline of the kill would lead to me ripping off your clothes and taking you hard and fast.” 

We waited a while as I reported to everyone else the success, Gabriella having been kind enough to let me spread the news. Just like Astrid, they knew what it meant for the Brotherhood, and I think their opinion of me was certainly elevated because of it. I’d been of the opinion that they thought I was little more than Astrid’s lapdog. I didn’t really care if they thought that or not, but I’d certainly proven to be an effective killer. I did thank Babette for her suggestion, and it was always a little awkward to remember she was a centuries old vampire instead of a little girl.

I wasn’t particularly close to any of the other members of the Brotherhood, and that meant I didn’t share too many personal details. Only Astrid knew everything about me. I would share things with others, such as I was an orphan and was from Cyrodiil, but regarding my current circumstances, it was none of their business, though they all knew I kept a home somewhere away from Falkreath.

Still, despite not being close, I wanted to know them in return. I did ask Babette about being a vampire and never growing old. She recognised the reason for my question but, considering her profession, didn’t mind being a ‘forever child’. Considering my viewpoint on vampires had always been negative, she was the first friendly vampire I’d met. I doubt I’d meet many more. I had little to do with Festus, as he’d made his opinion about the Night Mother and leadership of Astrid quite clear, left wondering when, not if, I would have to deal with him. Most of the others were ambivalent at best, their allegiance to Astrid first and foremost. Even Gabriella had changed her mind slightly 

Nazir liked a drink, and I ended up spending a couple of hours with him, downing a couple of tankards, regaling each other with stories. It wasn’t a secret that I worked for the Thieves Guild, and he was impressed at how quickly I had risen to leadership of the organisation. I suggested I was no longer involved in the day to day operations, but I still took a monthly cut of coin as they all recognised my position, considering I was the one who’d eliminated Mercer Frey and helped restore the Guild to its former glory. He had a very long list of kills, all over Tamriel. Given his humorous, even friendly demeanour, it was hard to remember that there was a cold hearted killer underneath the pleasant, joking exterior.

It was only when everyone else had gone to bed that I returned to Astrid. We’d purposely avoided each other all day, even sitting at opposite ends of the table during dinner. Closing the door behind me, she rose from her position of the bed to meet me, the kiss we shared first rather soft and tender. Though I think we wanted to fall into bed rather quickly, we spent plenty of time undressing each other, barely able to stop kissing and caressing each other as we did so. Once we were both naked, she fell to her knees. “I’ll get you off so you last longer, Ragnar, then you can tie me up.” 

“Still want that?” 

She stood up and moved my hand to her sex. “I’ve been thinking about what you could do to me while tied up all day. Just remember that I’m not Haelga. She has some rather unique tastes. I just want to be tied up.” 

Sitting down on her knees again, she made love to my cock with her mouth, her tongue doing some rather nice things that sent shivers up and down my spine. Her eyes were wide, full of love, desire and devotion, or at least that’s what I thought. She loved going down on me, as she knew I loved returning the favour even more. I’d been thinking about it all day too, finding my mind wander even when chatting with the others, so I knew I wouldn’t last long. 

“Swallow or face?” I wondered. 

Taking my cock from her mouth, she asked, “What do you think, Ragnar?” 

She proved what she wanted by swallowing my length, grabbing one of my hands to hold her head in place for a few moments. Grabbing her hair, albeit gently, I started to slowly thrust into my mouth, just a few times, before letting her resume control. Once her head was bobbing up and down rather quickly, there was no chance I was going to last too much longer. I warned her, though that was only to be polite, so when I did finish in her mouth, it didn’t catch her by complete surprise. 

It was another wonderful climax. Well, to be fair, I think it’s difficult to have a bad orgasm, but the excitement of the day, and what we were about to do, certainly made it feel a lot better. Once I was empty, Astrid sat back on her knees, looked up at me and opened her mouth. She then closed it, winked and noticeably swallowed. Dragging me down to my knees, she hugged me as she whispered, “I’ll do that for you all the time, Ragnar.” 

I surprised her by kissing her. If she was willing to swallow it, I could handle lingering aftertaste as I just wanted to kiss her. Standing up and taking her with me, I laid her down on the bed. She ran her hands down her body as she spread her legs, giving herself a fondle, as I grabbed the leather strips. Tying her wrists to each bedpost wasn’t particularly difficult, making sure they were tight but wouldn’t cut off blood flow. “Well, I’m now vulnerable, Ragnar. What are you going to do?” 

Hovering over her, I gave her a soft kiss first. “I love you,” I said softly. 

The smile returned was incredibly sweet, lighting up her eyes. “I wish I’d met you years ago. Maybe…” 

“Years ago, I’d have been too young. But there is the future, at least.” 

I kissed her again before moving down, leaving a mark on her neck, whispering into her ear that she was now mine. “Always,” she breathed as I moved down, focusing on this magnificent breasts of hers. Just lavishing attention on those increased her excitement, feeling her body rise up, pressing into mine, moving a hand down her body to fondle her sex. Not wanting to delay too long, I slid a finger inside her, hearing her gasp when I did before she breathed my name. 

Kissing down her body, I removed my finger as I kissed towards her sex but avoided it, kissing down each of her thighs before moving back up, just gazing at her glistening pussy. I breathed on it, and even that caused a shudder up her body. “You’re a tease.” 

“I could leave you here right now like this.” She groaned, no doubt horrified at the thought. So I made her happy by licking up her slit, and that earned a grateful moan. 

Lifting my head to meet her eyes, I smiled at her before I simply buried my face. The next ten minutes or so was filled with plenty of filthy language and no doubt everyone would have heard her, and she was rather descriptive at what I was doing and how good it felt. And, despite being tied up, she was still a little bossy. I didn’t mind, as she was telling me what she liked, and that assured she was going to cum. 

Which she did, for the first time, not long later. And I kept on going, changing position slightly, bending her body so I was on my knees, and I could look down into her eyes as I continued to eat her out. “Oh, I like this position, Ragnar. I can see your eyes. Help me cum again.” 

That wasn’t particularly difficult, as I had her knees almost beside her head. I was now rock hard, and she could feel it press into her back. “Want to fuck me like this?” 

“One more with my mouth.” 

That arrived rather quickly, her body now in quite a ball, wondering if she was getting sore. I barely let her recover, continuing to eat her out, before she asked me to fuck her. Keeping her in the same position, I wasted no time sliding my cock inside her and just immediately pounding her. Holding the headboard, she just kept her legs spread wide, able to look each other in the eyes as I fucked her. 

“I’m going to cum again really quickly,” she breathed. 

“I’ll stop once you do and get you ready.” 

She wrapped her legs around me, just enough so she could lock her ankles. But the position got a little difficult for me first, so after a readjustment, I had her calves by my shoulder, continuing to slam my cock into her. I loved to watch her face when doing it. The smile was one of complete happiness. She’d gone so long without having a man make love or fuck her that she appreciated it every time it happened. She loves it soft and tender. But she also loved it when I just pounded her relentlessly. 

Once she came again, I felt the urge as well. I didn’t let her know, so when I blasted inside her, she pulled the restraints, as I knew she wanted to hold me afterwards. She always did. Instead, I rested on a forearm, my cock still hard and buried inside her, her legs now rested alongside my body, leaning down to kiss her. “I wasn’t expecting that,” she said quietly. 

“Neither was I.” 

“Ragnar, can I ask a question since that just happened?” 

“Sure.” 

“Would you ever want… I mean, I know…” She sighed. “There’s no way to ask this question…” 

“You want a child?” 

“I’ve been thinking about it. We take lives constantly. To know I had life growing inside me…” 

“Why don’t we discuss then when you’re not tied up?” I was rather content with how the night had gone, so I immediately untied her. She looked ready to question, as she knew we’d discussed doing something else, then I guess understood why. She immediately cuddled into me as we lay side by side. “You’re serious?” I asked. 

Feeling her fingers trail up and down my back, she said quietly, “Since I met you, I’ve wondered if I want to keep doing this. Maybe I can go with you to Riften once we complete the big mission.” 

“And do what?” 

“Raise a family with you, Ragnar.” I remained silent, as the last time I’d planned that, my wife was murdered, and I never got to meet my child. “Do you not like the idea?” 

“I love it.” 

“But?” 

“I can’t marry again. We can have children, but I can’t do it…” I grabbed one of her hands and laid it against my chest. “I love you, Astrid, I truly do. But somewhere in here, I will always…” 

“I know, Ragnar. And, remember, I’m still technically married myself. Only when Arnbjorn is dead can I even consider it. But we can still have children. The question is, do you want them too?” 

“I’d love it. You’re ready to be a mother?” 

She kissed me softly before replying, “Only if you’re ready to be a father.” 

“I will be once we’ve finished this job. Are you sure you’re ready to walk away?” 

“The Night Mother has returned, Ragnar. I know my authority will eventually wane. So, as long as they agree to let me leave and live in peace, then I will just go with you.” 

I lifted her chin with a finger. “One thing, Astrid. I will remain with Haelga, at the very least, particularly if we do stay in Riften. I can’t hurt her again by ending our relationship.” 

“That’s okay, Ragnar. You’re with her now. You can be with her forever like me.” 

We sealed the agreement with lovemaking, Astrid pushing me onto my back as she lay on top of me first, simply looking at me as her fingers stroked my hair, my hands running up and down the soft skin on her back. I sometimes had to pinch myself at the thought this beautiful, athletic, yet incredibly dangerous woman was so obviously in love with me. I had wondered if I’d ever love again after Muiri. Part of me hadn’t wanted to, in case it happened again. But I couldn’t deny the feelings I felt for her, as much as those same feelings I had for Haelga I’d simply locked away while I was devoted to Muiri. 

We waited at least a week before discussing the next step on the road to killing the Emperor. Gabriella joined us as we planned, as she had performed some reconnaissance on her return to the Sanctuary, and had been out and about since. It was quite simple, really. Travel to Dragon Bridge, where the Penitus Oculatus were stationed, no doubt preparing for the arrival of the Emperor, news having already spread that he would be travelling to Skyrim for the funeral of his niece, and it was rumoured he was now going to personally take control of the war against the Stormcloaks, many believing Ulfric was responsible for her death. That suited the Brotherhood just fine. 

Once at Dragon Bridge, I was to locate the whereabouts of Gaius Maro, the son of Commander Maro, leader of the Penitus Oculatus, stealing his schedule so I could track him down. The easiest way to take care of him would be to wait in a certain city and kill him there. I could do the job on the open road, but they suggested he would have bodyguards and it would be likely that he’d travel by horseback. Once he was dead, I was to plant evidence on him, implicating him in a plot to kill the Emperor. The embarrassment it will cause Commander Maro would result in his resignation and leave the Emperor exposed. 

“Once I do this, I won’t be heading straight back. I’ll lay low in Riften for a while and head back here afterwards, unless you want to come to me,” I told Astrid in bed later that night. 

“Just don’t get caught, Ragnar. We don’t have the influence to spring you free.” She paused, obviously thinking, before adding, “Although your friends at the Guild…” 

“I’d rather not involve them in our business.” 

“I understand. So what I said originally means even more. Don’t get caught.” 

“I’ll do my best. I think getting him on the open road would be best. Kill him, leave his body out in the open, and make sure I leave more than just the letter implicating him. Ensure his and his father’s reputation both lie in tatters.” 

“Where will you do it?” 

“As far away from here as possible, so on the road leading out of Markarth. Do it in the right location and they’ll think it was a Forsworn attack.” 

In the end, I didn’t bother heading to Dragon Bridge to get his schedule. I’d learned enough over the years that I could figure out who he was while I was in Markarth. I spent five nights there waiting for his arrival, tracking him around the city as she spoke with the commander of the local garrison. Whether the Emperor would ever visit the city or not, I didn’t know, but they spent a few hours viewing defences and the surrounding region, and I knew both would be concerned about the Forsworn. 

The best news for me was that he travelled alone, out of uniform and near enough incognito. Perfect news, and I headed out early one morning in preparation for him to come riding by, knowing he would be heading east to Falkreath. I rode at least a couple of hours out of Markarth to lie in wait. I wasn’t going to put an arrow into his chest. I was going to gut him, make it personal, then leave everything required to ensure his name was ruined. 

Perching myself at the top of a hill, I watched his horse slowly trot along, eventually heading up the incline, where the horse slowed to a walk. When he was no more than twenty metres away, I moved out of cover and he brought the horse to halt. “Get out of the way!” he ordered. 

With shield already in hand, I simply unsheathed my sword. He now had a choice. He could have chosen to try and ride into me, but I would just aim for the saddle straps, ensuring he’d hit the ground hard. Or he could dismount, arm himself, and face me. He probably took me for little more than a bandit. I hope he did, as that would make him confident enough to dismount, believing I’d be an easy kill. 

I couldn’t help smile as he dismounted. I even allowed him the opportunity to arm himself. “You know who I am?” he wondered. 

“I do.” 

“And yet you choose to do this? Why?” 

“There are reasons. And for those very reasons, you must die.” 

“Then you are a fool. I am a trained soldier of the Penitus Oculatus.” 

“I know exactly who you are, Gaius Maro.” 

The eyes narrowed, and I believe in that moment, he knew why I was there, and knew why he had to die. “For the Emperor!” he cried, and without hesitation, charged forward. 

He might have been a trained soldier. He may have been close to the Emperor. He may have been the son of the commander himself. But he made two mistakes. One, he underestimated me. And, two, I had the higher ground. Whenever I found myself in a duel, I lived by the rule of ending it as quickly as possible. Only when I fought with the Fighter’s Guild did I worry about things like honour. I’d done enough since arriving in Skyrim that honour mattered little anymore. All that mattered was my survival. If I could fight clean, fair enough. But I had no problem fighting dirty, using every trick in the book to ensure my opponent died. 

Maro fought well, I’ll give him that. He was a trained soldier and had talent. But, as I said, he underestimated me. I had years fighting for the Fighter’s Guild. And I’d spent more than enough time fighting for my life. I’d looked death in the eyes and laughed in his face more than once. Maro didn’t stand a chance. 

Once I’d disarmed him, I put my sword straight through his chest, making sure his death was quick. I could give him that, at least. Putting my sword in the rump of his horse, that took off, leaving his body alone on the road. From my hidden horse I took the incriminating letter and a couple of other items that would leave those who found him in little doubt that he’d been killed due to his Stormcloak sympathies. His father would have to resign immediately. 

Job complete, I mounted my horse and headed straight for Riften. I had no idea what the fallout of what I’d just done would be.


	23. Traitors

I laid low in Riften for a week, barely venturing out of my house except to see Haelga. I wasn’t worried about being tracked down. It was simply a cause of caution and vigilance. My presence in Markarth would have been noticed, no matter how careful I was, and as I’d left the same day as Maro, and that man was now dead, those investigating his death would make assumptions. 

No doubt Astrid would have heard the news, but after no sign of her coming to see me, I finally left Riften for the Sanctuary. After leaving my horse hidden as usual, I approached the black door to find Gabriella waiting for me. Although she didn’t look concerned, the fact it was her waiting instead of Astrid worried me. 

“There’s been an incident,” she said, barring my way inside. 

I felt my stomach drop, my immediate thought being ‘Not again!’ “Astrid is fine,” Gabriella added quickly, “Or, at least, she’s alive. But… Follow me.” 

We walked into the bedroom to find Astrid fast asleep. Her top was off, her stomach covered in bandages. Her eyes opened upon sensing my presence, and I sat on the edge of the bed, grabbing her hand. “So I leave for a week and this is what happens.” 

She laughed for a moment before her face creased in pain. “Is it bad?” I asked Gabriella. 

“It was a nasty wound, but she’ll live.” 

Looking at Astrid, I stated, “I would know who did it.” Not a question, as it was easy to figure out who. “Where is he?” 

Gabriella disappeared, returning a few minutes later, holding a few diaries. “This will tell you everything, Ragnar. His thoughts prior to what happened. And, most importantly, it will tell you where he has gone. And we’re all available to assist you if necessary. Many of us were happy to see the return of the Night Mother, perhaps a sign that our fortunes would improve. But none of us wanted this. No matter what happens, no matter if the Night Mother has returned, Astrid is and always will be our leader… At least until the time she decides to leave…” 

Astrid had remained silent until then. “Thank you,” she said quietly. 

“Can you give me a few moments, Gabriella?” She dipped her head, and after closing the door, I looked back at Astrid. “He will die. But what set him off?” 

She couldn’t help smile. “I’ll admit I probably provoked him a little. But the little bastard was faster than I imagined. He has talent with a dagger.” 

“I’ll study these and leave first thing tomorrow.” 

“No, stay with me for a day. There’s no rush.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“Please, Ragnar.” 

I relented easily. I guess there was no rush, though my blood was up. Cicero would die. Despite the brave face, she was still in a lot of pain, so although she was healing, I brought her meals in bed, and otherwise stayed with her, mostly just to keep her company and her spirits up. She managed to turn onto her side so she could at least cuddle with me, and although she wanted to be intimate, even she admitted that she had to ignore her desires, at least for a little while. 

It was nice spending an entire day in bed next to her. She wanted to know everything about taking down Maro, as although news had filtered back that he was dead, she wanted to know the details. I had no need to exaggerate. Astrid had never seen me work, but she didn’t need to see it to know I was good. She was surprised Maro travelled alone, figuring I would have had to go through bodyguards to get to him. 

“He died well,” I said, “He faced me down like a warrior. And he died like one.” 

“Didn’t think you cared about things like that.” 

“I don’t usually. Things like honour mean little to me nowadays. But I can still look a man in the eyes and give him a good death.” 

“When you leave tomorrow, Ragnar, I want you to promise me something.” She squeezed me, looking up into my eyes. “Come back to me. I’m not saying Gabriella’s words are empty, but you are the only one I truly trust here now.” 

“I think we’ve talked about enough things that I’d fight Mehrunes Dagon himself to ensure I returned, Astrid.” 

“So you love me that much?” 

“Well, helps that you’re a beautiful and rather flexible Nordic goddess. Add the dangerous aspect of your personality and, well, I think it’s easy to see why.” 

“I’ll be honest. I just love your big cock.” I could only burst into laughter as she went into great vivid detail about it and what it did to her. “Do you know what it is most, though? Despite what you do. Despite what you’ve done. You still have this… honesty, though perhaps that’s just due to me.” 

“I lie all the time, except to you and Haelga. Well, I’ll clarify Haelga knows about the Thieves Guild, but doesn’t know about this. She probably has an idea that I’m up to no good, so simply doesn’t want to know. Don’t ask, don’t tell. All she wants is a promise each time I leave that I will return. I haven’t broken that promise yet.” 

I left early the next morning, Astrid managing to walk with me outside as I packed supplies onto the rear of my horse. I intended to make it north as quickly as possible. Astrid warned me that the Empire would have increased their patrols due to what happened, so suggested I avoid the main roads if I could. That would delay me, but there would be no doubt the army would be merciless. If they even minutely suspected someone, they’d find themselves in chains and escorted to the nearest cell. 

The delays meant an extra night on the road, but I figured if Cicero was where I assumed, he would by lying in wait for someone to come find him. I wondered if he figured it would be me though. No doubt he would assume I would be an ally due to me being the Listener. What he wouldn’t particularly know is that I didn’t care about being that. My allegiance would always be to Astrid. It probably didn’t help that I was intimately involved with her, but I’d rather take orders from her than a rotting corpse. 

The door into the Northern Sanctuary was surprisingly out in the open. Not hidden at all. I hadn’t asked around Dawnstar about it. I simply followed the coast until I found it. Dismounting my horse and leaving it, I approached the door. Just like Falkreath, the door asked a question before allowing me entrance. 

“What is life’s greatest illusion?” 

“Innocence, my brother.” 

The place had been abandoned for centuries, at least according to Cicero’s journals. Though abandoned, it was not empty, as I found myself encountering… Well, ghosts, to be honest. Ghosts who were not happy to see me. I thought they’d recognise me as Listener and part of the Brotherhood, but they chose to attack me instead. As I was busy fighting them off, I could hear Cicero from further inside, taunting me. All that did was incense me, clearing my mind, knowing I’d kill him for what he’d done. 

There was even a bloody big troll living in one of the caves that I had to fight my way past. I took a hit from it, leaving a nasty wound across my left arm, but I took its head in return, stabbing it a few more times, just to make sure the thing was dead before moving on. Cicero continued to taunt, though his voice was becoming louder and clearer. I knew I was closing in. 

“Keep talking, Cicero. You merely dig your own grave.” 

The taunts continued, and rounding a last corner, I entered a large room, where I found Cicero lying on the ground. It was obvious he was feigning injury, I wasn’t stupid, ensuring I stayed back far enough, as I figured he was hiding a weapon under his body. 

“You caught me! I surrender!” he cried, laughing away as he always did. 

“You tried to kill Astrid, Cicero. Your last mistake.” 

“Being intimate with the pretender displeased the Night Mother, Listener. How can you not understand that?” 

“You’re a fucking lunatic, Cicero. And all you’ve done since arriving is prove to be a gigantic pain in the arse. There is only one solution to the problem.” 

He made to move, no doubt withdraw a weapon and get up, but a good kick into his stomach caused him to curl up, another kick to the face rolled him over onto his back, the dagger he’d been holding clattering away. I wasn’t going to stab him. I just put my foot on his throat and pressed down, watching his face as he suffocated. He tried to say something as my foot pressed down harder, but I didn’t want to hear his pleas. He was getting what he deserved, his hands grabbing my lower leg, trying to prise it away. But he weakened with each passing second, eventually passing out. Getting down on my knees, I lifted his body and snapped his neck to ensure he was truly dead, before dragging it all the way out the Sanctuary, turning right and walking out onto the nearby headland. With no ceremony, I dumped his body into the water, hoping the tide would take it out. If it ended up on a nearby shore, I didn’t care. No-one would know who he was. 

Mounting my horse, all I did was point it southwards, leaving Dawnstar and the sanctuary behind, though kept it in mind, just in case the worst was to ever happen. 

My return journey took just as long as the one north, so that by the time I returned, Astrid was back on her feet, and I found myself dragged into the bedroom for some lovemaking after letting her know Cicero was dead. If I didn’t know her better, I would have thought the fact I’d killed the man who tried to kill her turned her on. Her language as she rode me, generally filthy anyway, took on a certain twist as she imagined what I did to him. When I went into detail of how I did, she had one hell of an orgasm. 

We sometimes had what many would have thought a weird relationship. 

Later that night, once the Sanctuary was silent, cuddled into my side as she always was, she whispered her concerns. “I think more than Cicero is conspiring against me.” 

“Who?” 

“Festus has made his opinions known. And although Gabriella swears allegiance, I know she is torn. Plus, there is still the Arnbjorn factor. Considering how we parted, I’m sure he’ll want his revenge, particularly against you, though I’m sure his heart only knows hate for me too now.” 

“What do you want me to do?” 

She kissed my cheek. “Nothing, Ragnar. You’re listening. That’s all I wanted. But… If I asked you to…” 

“Yes.” 

She laughed lightly. “You haven’t even heard my question?” 

“Don’t have to. I know what you’re going to ask. Will I kill a colleague? If they are a danger to you, I will.” 

I must say the right thing constantly, as her hand sild my body towards my cock, stroking that enough to get me hard, before she straddled me, rubbing her pussy against my shaft. “Anyone would think you loved me, Ragnar. What wouldn’t you do for me? Who wouldn’t you kill for me?” 

“It’s not a long list, Astrid. Children, my other lovers, and the few people I count as friends. Anyone else? I might ask a question if I feel it necessary.” 

She sat up and slowly sat down on my cock, enjoying the feel of that tight pussy I had grown to love and adore so much over the recent weeks and months. Once my length was inside, she didn’t move, just leaning down so her face hovered just above mine. “I want you to kill the Emperor for me, Ragnar. Do you know how turned on the thought makes me? The man I loved killing the most powerful man in Tamriel.” 

I thrust up into her, watching the smile immediately form as she started to ride me, ever so slowly. “Who else?” 

“I don’t trust Festus. What about him?” 

“He’s dangerous. No doubt wonders about your leadership now. I’d do it tomorrow if you wanted.” 

“No. Not yet. But we might need to consider it.” 

I grabbed her and flipped her over so she was underneath me, driving my cock into her hard a few times. “Who else?” 

“By Sithis, I can’t think straight while you’re doing this to me, Ragnar.” 

I leaned down towards her ear. “Who else, Astrid?” I breathed. 

“All of them!” she cried quietly, kissing me hard, more passion in that one in all those I could remember, before leaning back, gazing into my eyes, “Just me and you, Ragnar. You’re the only one I trust. You’re the only one I need.” 

“Or we just leave. We kill the Emperor, then we don’t return. They don’t know where I live, so we just leave it all behind, and we can start what you want.” 

“I’ve already stopped taking them, Ragnar. I want your child.” 

It was a surprise, but a nice surprise. “Well, I guess I should hurry up and finish.” I lifted her legs up and wide, Astrid grabbing them so I could really fuck her. “Killing the Emperor, Astrid. When was the last time that was done?” 

She moaned loudly. “Centuries,” she muttered, “Yet you could do it for me.” 

It was my turn to lean down and kiss her hard before leaning back an inch. “I will do it for you, Astrid.” 

Feeling her legs around my back, she urged me to fuck and finish inside her. She was going to get her wish anyway, but she asked me to really drive into her. So that’s what I did, amazed she could take it so hard, particularly after her recent injury, but it certainly helped me finish rather quickly. Once I had, she hugged me to her body, whispering rather nice things in my ear. “We’ll talk about the next step in the morning, Ragnar.” 

“Which next step?” 

She laughed, as it could have meant one of a few things. “The Emperor killing business. If I find out I’m with child, you’ll know when I want to talk about that.” 

“The day I leave to kill him, go to Riften. Leave here immediately. I do the job, then I return there and we get on with our lives together.” 

“Not yet, Ragnar. Not yet. There is still work to be done, and I want to leave the right way.” 

“Are you sure?” She nodded adamantly. “Okay, I trust you as much as you trust me, so if you’re sure, then we’ll do it your way.” 

We went to sleep a little later. Or, at least, Astrid fell asleep, once against snuggled into my side, her hand resting where we thought our hearts were in our chest. My fingers continued to trail up and down her side, probably tickling her, even as she slept, though all she did was snuggle into me even further. In moments like that, it was easy to forget what both of us did for a living. It was easy to forget that we found talk of what we did thrilling, and found a common bond in it while being intimate at the same time. It was easy to forget she was still married… 

I also wondered how she would adapt to regular life again, as in no longer killing for a living. No doubt she’d find it slightly boring. Could she adapt to domestic life? I think she had ideas of happily raising our children and staying at home. I’m sure she thought she wanted it, but it was one thing to have an idea of what it was like, have hopes and dreams and expectations, but the reality could and probably would be far different to what she might want. Though maybe she would find happiness in the simplicity that our lives might become. 

The next morning after breakfast, she gathered myself and the only other two people she might trust in the organisation, Babette and Nazir. Both had stated to me that they would never turn their backs on Astrid, and I’ll admit, I did trust them probably more than Astrid did, though I knew her mind was in turmoil, so while she stated in private I was the only one she could trust, I noticed she would often approach Babette and Nazir about her thoughts too. 

Stood around her table, she had a couple of books, looking at me with a smirk. I knew she was going to spring a surprise. “What I have here, Ragnar, is a signed copy of Uncommon Taste, owned by someone named Anton Virane. I called in a favour from your friends at the Thieves Guild.” 

“Why didn’t you just ask me?” 

“Because I don’t always want to rely on you.” 

I chuckled. “Fair point. What’s the point in the book?” 

“Mister Virane will know who the author of Uncommon Taste is. No-one knows the identity of someone known as ‘the Gourmet’, but what is known is that he is probably the most famous chef in Tamriel, and is known to be the personal chef of the Emperor, particularly on visits to Skyrim.” 

“So he’s a Nord?” 

“No, no-one knows his race or name. It’s one of the best kept secrets in Tamriel. So, the job is this. Find out who the Gourmet is from Virane. Once you obtain that information, kill Virane, as he’s bound to alert the authorities if someone was to come asking. After that, we track down the Gourmet and kill him. As no-one else knows who he is, you assume his identity and get in close enough to kill the Emperor.” 

I looked around the table before finishing with Astrid. “Seems a bit convoluted, doesn’t it?” 

She smiled, not taking offense. “It might be, but this way, you will get away scot-free. Poison the meal, and make your escape during dinner. By the time the Emperor is dead, you should be free and away. We just need to put together the plan of where it will be. So when you kill him, grab whatever he has that will tell us the best place to make the attack.” 

“Where is Virane?” 

“Markarth. He is the personal chef to the jarl.” 

“Shit. My track record in Markarth isn’t great. You already know I’ve done some time in Cidhna Mine.” 

“That’s why I’m not sending you for this leg, Ragnar. Nazir has offered to kill Virane, gain the information you require, then you can track down the Gourmet and complete the rest of the mission.” 

It was unusual not to be taking the lead role in a mission, but I could understand the reasoning. My history in Markarth wasn’t great, and Astrid knew nearly everything about me. As Nazir would be gone for a few days, I suggested once Astird and I were alone that I would head back to Riften. Astrid liked that idea, and she offered to join me. “May as well get used to living there eventually,” she added. 

“You’re completely serious, aren’t you?” 

“You’re not?” 

“Of course. But…” 

Back in her bedroom, she just hugged me tightly. “I’ve had enough, Ragnar. More than enough. They can have their Night Mother and their old ways. I kept this place going for years, and if that’s how they want to repay me, then fine.” 

“I’m not saying no, Astrid. Not at all. I’ve be thrilled for you to come with me. I just want you to be absolutely sure, because once you leave, I think there’s no coming back.” 

“I’ve found the best reason to leave.”

 We left the same day as Nazir, Astrid deciding she would simply ride along with me on my horse, not needing to take many supplies, as she mentioned that she hoped she wouldn’t need many clothes during our few days in Riften. I thought I’d take a chance, suggesting we could invite someone else to join us. She laughed, and said she wouldn’t mind having Haelga join in for some fun. I dug the horse in its sides, urging it to move faster and faster, much to the amusement of Astrid. To heighten the fun, I held the reins with one hand while my other was put down the front of her pants, where I teased her nearly the entire way to Riften. By the time we dismounted at the stables, she was soaking wet, as were my fingers, and she practically dragged me to my house to finally finish her off. We didn’t make the bedroom, as she lay back on the dinner table after taking off her trousers, spread her legs, and held my head in place as I brought her to an almost immediately orgasm with my mouth. 

That was the start of our night, and by the time we finally slept that evening, sleep came easily as we were both utterly exhausted, and Astrid might have been a little sore too, admitting to being rather turned on so she wanted my cock in her tightest little hole, lying down on her knees, almost curling herself into a ball but raising her arse up, begging me to fuck her hard. I obliged, of course, and she surprised me further by wanting me to cum on her face at the end. I hadn’t done that before, and she laughed away as I coated her face. “I never did this for him,” she confessed, laying back afterwards, having barely cleaned her face. 

“What? Anal or finishing on your face?” 

“Both, to be honest.” 

“So why now?” 

“Because I wanted to, and I knew you’d love it too.” The smile she noticed told her my thoughts. “As I said, Ragnar, my body is yours.” 

“Well, I definitely love your arse, and you must have read my mind about wanting to cum on your face. But would you like to see what I do with Haelga when I invite her around?” 

“Yes. Definitely, as I will admit to being intrigued. I’m sure I don’t want what you do with her, but I wouldn’t mind watching.” 

“I’ll invite her around. She might be interested in staying for longer if you’re interested in a threesome.” I paused before asking, “Have you been with a woman before?” 

“I have. One or two women though that was a long time ago now.” 

“I’ll talk to her tomorrow. We’ll have dinner then see where the night takes us.” 

“Hopefully it will involve your cock in all three of my holes, Ragnar.” I couldn’t help laugh, though she just added, “At least I’m honest.” 

“You are.” I pulled her in close and whispered in her ear, “I’m going to fuck your arse even harder when Haelga is here.” 

“Promise?” 

“Absolutely.” 

I was polite enough to hand her a cloth to clean her face before we went to sleep. I was left thinking, had I not, she’d have happily gone to sleep without cleaning up. The thought amused me, as she revealed sides to her personality all the time that I believed were there, though she kept many of them hidden. 

After breakfast the next morning, I headed to the Bunkhouse. As always, Haelga was delighted to see me, and after a long kiss and cuddle, I asked if she’d like to join me for dinner that evening. She readily accepted as always, though when I added I already had company, the smirk that appeared more than suggested she knew what was on my mind. “You have ideas,” she stated. 

“I do. Are you interested?” 

“I’m surprised it’s taken you so long. I assume it’s Astrid?” I nodded. “So you will have two blonde, Nordic beauties to satisfy tonight?” 

“Aye. I look forward to it.” 

“The Dibella room?” 

“Astrid would like to watch what I do to you.” 

“Want a quick fuck now before tonight?” 

I wouldn’t deny Haelga anything, so we fucked on one of the tables. There was at least a little foreplay before I had her laid down, panties off, skirt hiked up, legs wide and my cock buried inside her, wasting absolutely no time driving my cock into her. Svana was now used to our shenanigans, so when she walked in on us, she actually watched me fuck Haelga, making one or two comments about my prowess and size of my cock, which made me stop while buried inside Haelga. “You sound like you’re still innocent.” 

“Because I am.” 

I looked down at Haelga. “How is that possible?” 

“I think she’s just picky, Ragnar.” 

Returning my glance to Svana, I said, “I remember long ago you mentioned an interest. I’m a different man now. Do I still interest you?” 

She laughed. “Are you kidding me? I’d like to be where Haelga is right now! I still masturbate thinking about you, Ragnar.” 

Haelga burst into laughter, feeling her squeeze my cock as she did so. “Okay, this might not be the best time to discuss it, since my cock is currently buried inside your aunt, but if you want me to fuck you, I will. But we’ll talk about it later. I’d better finish your aunt off.” 

“Have fun,” she said. 

Looking back down at Haelga, she simply squeezed her legs around me. “You’d better make me cum now, Ragnar.” 

“Do you mind if I fuck her?” 

“Of course not. She won’t have a better lover for a first time. Just… you know, go easy on her to start with.” 

“Maybe she’ll be one of those girls who wants it up the arse to save her purity for marriage?” 

That made her laugh again. “No, I don’t think so. Just treat her right and she’ll walk around with a smile on her face for a month. Just like me, to be honest. She always knows when you’ve visited.” 

I lifted her up into a sitting position. “I probably do the same thing, you know.” 

She ran a hand down my cheek and laid a gentle kiss on my lips. “Cum in me, Ragnar,” she breathed, “Then I’ll get back to work.” 

I did just that a couple of minutes later, groaning loudly enough that Svana yelled out for me to be quiet. Haelga hugged me until I softened enough that my cock fell out, and we kissed for a little longer, before she said that she really had to get back to work, lowering her skirt but giving me her panties to take. She escorted me to the door, we kissed again, her last words being that she’d be at mine after sunset. 

Astrid knew I’d fucked her while I’d been away, but knowing we’d be having quite the night, said she would be happy to just pass the day away quietly before Haelga arrived later that day. So we ended up sitting on the balcony for lunch, each of us grabbing a couple of books from one of my bookshelves, and we sat back together with a book and bottle of wine. We would swap the occasional glance and laugh, as it was something we’d never done before, but I knew that anything to do with the Brotherhood was barely in the back of our minds. “Emperor, then I’m done,” she said, before returning her attention to the book in hand. 

We spent most of the afternoon sitting on the balcony. As I’d been gone more often than not the past few months, I had plenty of locals stop and converse with me, wondering what I’d been up to. As I told Astrid, I lied a lot, so I just said I was away for work. Ingun noticed me and I invited her up, introducing her to Astrid. The latter had no problem wondering if I’d been intimate with Ingun too. I admitted we had a brief relationship before I married, though Ingun prevented it getting too awkward by letting me know she was seeing someone. 

“Who?” I wondered. 

The grin told me it was someone she shouldn’t be with. “Saerlund.” 

“The jarl’s son? But even I know he’s not popular due to his vocal support of the Empire.” 

“Precisely why I like him. He’s a good man and has the courage of his convictions. Of course, we generally have to meet in secret but…” She leaned in closer. “Can I tell you another secret?” 

“Of course.” 

“We’re considering eloping. We’ll leave Riften behind.” 

“Where will you go?” 

“Somewhere where supporting the Empire isn’t a problem.” 

“Could always try Solitude, though I wouldn’t use your family name.” 

“Once we marry, we’ll change our names.” 

“Do you need help getting away?” 

“No. We have a plan ready. You know, the whole middle of the night, cover of darkness escape. I think our disappearance would barely be noticed, nor will anyone really care.” 

“Send word once you’re safe, just so I know at least.” 

She assured me that she would do just that, then she kissed my cheek, said her goodbyes, and headed off. “Sweet girl. Can see why you bedded her,” Astrid said once we were alone again. 

“She’s very sweet, but she does have a wild side. But I’m glad she’s met someone who makes her happy. I wasn’t ever going to be the one.” 

“Why is that?” 

“Before Muiri, I was committed to Haelga, in the sense that I loved her, and if it was between her and Ingun, Karliah or anyone, I’d have chosen her. But once I met Muiri, that was it, I was committed to one woman, well, at least after a couple of months and I knew Muiri was the one. If you’d had the chance to meet, her, you would have understood why I chose her.” 

Astrid was quiet for a while before asking, “You still miss her, don’t you?” 

“Every day. That sort of love is something we probably only experience once in our lives. It’s a rather depressing thing Haelga and I share. We’re both widows, though we don’t actually talk about it.” 

Once the sun started to set, we headed inside so I could start dinner. Haelga arrived not long later, wearing a stunning dress that showed off her curves and bust, with enough cleavage to distract me as I cooked. The two women sat the table with a bottle of wine as I cooked, hearing them chat and laugh as they no doubt got to know each other and probably share details about me. Both would know why they were there, and as I stood at the doorway, leaning against it, I couldn’t help notice how similar the two were, at least in appearance. Personality wise, there were stark differences. They both turned to look at me and smiled. 

“I am a very lucky man,” I stated. 

“Still want dinner or do you want to take both of us upstairs now?” Haelga wondered. 

“I need food as I’m going to need the energy.” 

“Long night planned?” Astrid asked. 

“You’re both going to bed sore tonight, front and back.” 

The two shared a glance. “That’s just the sort of night I love, Astrid,” Haelga stated. 

“I’ve heard about this room you both enjoy. I understand you’re putting on a show.” 

“Oh, I’m hoping you’ll be involved in some way.” 

“Of course.” 

Dinner was simple as always, but I’d learned enough from Aranea about adding flavour. She now lived in Muiri’s old place and ran her own little store. She was no longer my steward, as I simply wasn’t around enough to warrant having one, so while she would occasionally visit, we were simply friends. 

After dinner, we finished the bottle of wine, Astrid and Haelga continuing to chat away before there was an unspoken conversation between the pair, both turning to me. Moving their chairs closer, I was soon kissing one or the other as their hands were all over me, finding my clothing taken off rather quickly, sitting down naked in a couple of minutes. Parting my legs, they got down on their knees, Haelga grabbing my growing cock as the two women met my eyes then looked at each and kissed. 

“This is going to be a good night,” I muttered. 

I wasn’t going to last long with two women pleasuring my cock at once. Haelga’s head was soon bobbing up and down, swallowing my entire length. There was little teasing, as she was going to get me off quickly, knowing I would last longer afterwards. She would hand my cock over to Astrid, who followed her example, the two ensuring they got equal time with my cock in their mouth. 

Letting them know when I was going to finish, Astrid handed it to Haelga, who blew me until I let her know I was going to erupt, Haelga taking a mouthful as always. She then smiled at me and turned to Astrid, the pair kissing as I knew what they were doing, both looking at me as they made out. “Okay, I’m done. Don’t need anything else.” 

The pair swallowed them laughed, as I no doubt had an enormous grin on my face. “This is just the start, Ragnar.” 

“I need to eat out one or two both of you. Right now.” 

Astrid was stripped quickly and laid back on the dinner table, Haelga and I both eating her out together. As we used our mouths on her pussy, I whispered into Haelga’s ear what I was going to do. She quietly urged me to do it, so I started to rub Astrid’s arsehole. She lifted her head and smiled, nodding that it was okay. Sliding a finger into her arse, the noise she made suggested she wasn’t going to last much longer. 

“And that’s just his finger,” Haelga said, “Imagine his cock later tonight.” 

“Enjoyed it before,” Astrid whispered. 

“So have I. Plenty of times. It’s rather addictive.” Haelga leaned into my ear. “Will you tie me up?” 

“And more, if you want. Putting on a show, remember.” 

Haelga put her hand between her legs before sticking her fingers into my mouth. “I can’t wait.” 

Astrid was making plenty of noise and I allowed Haelga to bring her to orgasm. Watching one woman I love bring the other woman I loved to orgasm was… probably one of the sexiest and erotic things I’d seen in my life. Astrid immediately sat up, stating she wanted to taste herself on Haelga’s lips, and I felt my cock spring back to life as I watched my two blonde beauties make out. I helped undress Healga first, her dress unbuttoned and falling away easily, unsurprised to see she only wore panties, so those came off easily. I then undressed Astrid, and once both were naked, we headed upstairs. 

Astrid had seen the Dibella room before, but I let Haelga explain some of the things we used in there. Haelga and I had always wanted a threesome, and though we’d expected another man to be involved, we had prepared for another woman, as we had designed and made something in preparation. Taking it from the drawer, Astrid did have a good giggle as we placed it down. “You strap that around you so it’s just like a cock. Then you can double penetrate me.” 

“And you like that?” Astrid asked. 

“Ragnar has done it before, usually his cock in my arse and toy in my pussy. Now I can be fucked properly.” 

“Wouldn’t this be more comfortable on the bed?” 

“Yes, that’s why that will be for later. For now, Ragnar is going to tie me up and do a few things. You can watch, even participate if you’d like. The grand finale will be… Well, what do you think?” 

“I can imagine it will be something involving your arse. He’s told me before about your desires.” 

Astrid had seen the room. Had heard about what Haelga and I would get up to inside it. But hearing was one thing. Seeing was believing. Her reaction to how events unfolded as Haelga received what she desired was rather amusing at times, amazed at what Haelga truly wanted from me during the hour or two we spent together in there. Most of the time, Astrid was an observer as Haelga found herself tied up, completely at my mercy, though even Astrid mentioned that, despite some of the things I was doing, it was done with love and affection, though Astrid herself didn’t appear interested in being a participant. Or, at least, not a participant in regards to particular activities in that room. 

Once Haelga was left rather satisfied with what we’d done, most of the time involved with my cock being buried in her arse, Astrid murmuring amazement at how her arse wasn’t too sore to handle more, we gathered on the bed, where Haelga received some aftercare first before we turned the night into a proper threesome. 

“I want both my holes filled, then Astrid can get all the attention,” Haelga suggested. 

“And I guess I’m just providing the dick here?” 

She looked at me and smiled. “You can have both of us riding you as the grand finale, Ragnar.” 

I couldn’t disagree with that. With the toy strapped to Astrid, she lay down first with Haelga straddling her before I watched the two women make out and Astrid rather enjoy fucking Haelga. Eventually the pair stopped and looked at me, happily watching. “Are you not going to join in?” 

“I’m watching two beautiful blondes currently fuck. I’m not sure if I want to ruin the moment.” 

“I want you to ruin me again, Ragnar. Get that cock inside me.” 

After the pounding she’d just taken, even I was wondering how she could take much more, so I remained gentle as Astrid and I started to fuck her in unison. I got into a position where I could lean down and meet Astrid’s eyes on occasion. She looked to be having quite a lot of fun too, and definitely liked kissing Haelga. Having already blown a couple of loads into Haelga earlier on, there was no chance I was going to finish again anytime soon, so it was all about Haelga and what she was experiencing. With a real and fake shaft pumping into her, the orgasm was inevitable, and once she had around her fourth of the evening so far, even she had to cry enough. 

She was so worn out that she suggested Astrid and I just enjoy each other for a time, happy to lie next to us as Astrid made sure I was on my back before she had me take her arse as well. My surprise obviously showed, as she smiled, leaning down to kiss me, before whispering that, having watched Haelga enjoy it so much, she wanted to share the same sort of experience. 

I didn’t last too long, not that Astrid complained, but having spent quite a bit of time with Haelga in the Dibella room, I was rather exhausted, so we agreed to go to sleep and perhaps resume in the morning. I think Haelga definitely liked that idea, and I’ll admit my ego couldn’t have been much bigger as I wrapped an arm around each woman as they cuddled into me. 

“I’m wondering if life gets much better,” I wondered aloud. I didn’t receive an answer, so I guess they either agreed, or were too tired to argue. 

Surprisingly, we didn’t continue our antics the next morning, Haelga whispering into my ear that she was feeling rather tender after the activities of the previous evening, while Astrid wanted me alone later that day. We would remain in Riften for at least a couple more days, and the three of us agreed that, while we were in Riften, Haelga would visit us each night, both women aware I loved them equally, and it was amazing that the two of them seemed to like each other too. 

On our last night, Astrid wanted to be involved in some of the activities Haelga and I got up to. Once I had her tied up, receiving compliments at how well I had her bound, she surprised me by submitting completely. Haelga and I both had a lot of fun with her that night, and Astrid slept soundly after we exhausted her. As Astrid slept, Haelga and I disappeared for some fun of our own, ensuring the door was closed though I’m sure Haelga probably woke Astrid at times with the noise she made. 

Haelga was worried upon my leaving as always, though Astrid assured her that I would return unharmed. The former was aware that Astrid wished to carry my child. Haelga hadn’t changed her mind yet about wanting a child, though I knew, in those private moments we had together, she was thinking about, simply because she thought I wanted them with her. I just reassured her that I expected nothing from her, at least in regards to bearing children. 

On the ride back to the Sanctuary, Astrid and I managed to behave, hoping that Nazir would have already returned, or would return quickly. While we were not worried about our contract being discovered, as it was unlikely there would be any leaks, the quicker we completed it, the better. A couple of reasons. One, being the longer we planned and operated, the more chance of being discovered or caught. And two, with each passing day, Astrid’s mind wandered away from matters of the Brotherhood to the future. 

Nazir returned the day after our own. He had good news. Virane had told him everything we wanted to know before his unfortunate death. The Gourmet was an orc by the name of Balagog gro-Nolob. He was currently in Skyrim. He was staying at the Nightgate Inn, far to the north, west of Windhelm. I would travel there, eliminate the orc, assume his identity, then kill the Emperor. 

Or, at least, that was the plan…


	24. To Kill an Emperor

Astrid asked me to kill the orc then return to receive final instructions. I’d have rather completed the job all at once, return, then take her with me, but I guess there were final plans to be made before I was sent to kill the Emperor. On the morning I left, she simply told me to be careful, complete the job, and ensure I returned safely, as the role of assassination would be for myself. As she had made up her mind regarding her future, and she knew I didn’t really care about being Listener, she liked the idea of myself taking the glory of making the kill. 

As always, it was a day’s ride to Windhelm, and for the evening, I took a room in the inn as always, but went looking for an old friend. Not finding her in the tavern in the Grey Quarter, I was directed to her home. She was surprised but delighted to see me, inviting me in for a drink, where we caught up on what was happening in our lives. Again, there was no attraction between us, but each time I was in Windhelm, we would meet up as, after standing up for her, we had developed a friendship. I was one of very few Nords she trusted. 

It was a dark and bitterly cold morning as I walked back to the stables. The snowfall had been significant the previous evening, even my walk from the Suvaris residence to my inn having been rather treacherous, the numerous tankards consumed having an effect on me at the same time. The roads had barely been cleared as I mounted my horse and headed west, though men were out with shovels, helping make them at least slightly passable. 

Making it to Nightgate Inn just after lunchtime, I tied up my horse, headed inside, and booked a room for the evening. With no sign of the orc, I wandered outside and found him standing on a pier beside the lake. Though I could have made the kill there and then, I figured my arrival and possible departure, with the orc going missing, might raise too many questions. I never wanted to get to know my marks so, after saying hello, I wandered off, only returning to the inn once light started to fade. 

I ordered dinner and partook in a couple of tankards, but headed to bed early for two reasons. One, to actually get a little sleep. And, two, as I would wake in the late evening or very early morning to complete the job. Waking a few hours later, the inn was near dark and silent, the barkeep having also headed to bed, only the fire still smouldering, providing barely any light or warmth. 

Not finding the orc in either of the other rooms, I assumed he would be downstairs. Why he would choose to stay down there, I would never know, but it meant I could kill him quietly and hide the body, though I’m sure the innkeeper would probably go looking for him soon enough. He didn’t wake as I approached, covering his mouth as no doubt his eyes would widen as I slid the dagger into his throat. But he died almost immediately and without a sound. The bastard was heavy, so dragging him into a hiding spot wasn’t particularly easy, but I managed to lift him into a large barrel, covering it with a lid, confident he now wouldn’t be found for at least a couple of days. 

Heading back to bed, I was woken by the innkeeper the next morning, and after enjoying a hearty breakfast, thanked him for the service and headed out to my horse. He muttered something about the orc not appearing for breakfast, but whether he went to look for him or not, I didn’t find out. Once mounted on my horse, I rode straight for the Sanctuary, arriving well after dark. 

Astrid was already in bed by the time I made my way inside, sitting on the edge of the bed as she woke up. After a brief kiss, I told her the good news. “The Gourmet is dead. They hopefully won’t find his body for a few days. And I have his Writ of Passage. The path to the Emperor now lies wide open.” 

The smile was immediate. “Good. I can think of a way of celebrating the news. We’ll discuss the next step in the morning.” 

We went to sleep an hour later, that smile of hers having only broadened as she cuddled into my side. 

Gathering all of us around her table the next day, she announced that I would be given the honour of assassinating the Emperor. There were no objections, all our colleagues recognising that I had been at the forefront of everything leading to this moment, in addition to my position as Listener. None other than Astrid knew that I didn’t care about the position, but if it gave us an advantage or two, I wasn’t going to complain. 

“The plan is quite simple. Since assassinating Vittoria Vici, the Emperor has arrived in Skyrim and is presently in Solitude, where he is spending time with General Tullius regarding the ongoing civil war and plan of battle against the Stormcloaks. He dines at Castle Dour every night. The Writ of Passage Ragnar secured will allow him entrance to the kitchen posing as the Gourmet.” She looked at me. “While I’m sure you would like to bury a blade in his chest, it will be a simple case of poisoning, Ragnar.” 

“I’m not fussed how it’s done, as long as he dies.” She raised her eyebrows as I shrugged. “I don’t care one way or the other about the Empire. Grew up there, but there’s no sense of loyalty, to them or the other side. It’s business.” 

A smile and a nod. “Exactly.” 

“So how am I poisoning him?” 

Festus cleared his throat. “Jarrin root, Ragnar. All it takes is one taste, and the effects are quite immediate. The Emperor will be serving Sithis before he even knows he's dead.” 

Astrid gestured with her head and everyone departed, leaving the two of us alone. She rounded the table, taking both of my hands in hers. “It took all the favours, bribes, and blackmails I could muster, but I've secured your exit out of the keep. Just follow my instructions, and the Dark Brotherhood will be back on top. Then… Then we can leave this behind.” 

“You’re still sure about your choice?” 

“Do you want to keep doing this, Ragnar?” I shrugged, as I didn’t really care one way or the other. “If we… or you… kill the Emperor, where do we go from there? What could we possibly do that would exceed that sort of kill? Don’t get me wrong, I still find a thrill in the kill, and spilling blood still…” She trailed off and smiled. “Well, I think we both know we’re a little weird about certain things.” 

“You mean discussing murder gets you hot and you like to fuck after it’s been discussed.” 

“Stated bluntly but correctly as always, Ragnar. But tell me true, do you want to keep doing this?” 

“No.” 

“The return of the Night Mother will herald a change no matter what I want or what I do. You provide a different future. It will be strange adapting to civilian life, but our luck won’t hold forever either. Every other Sanctuary has fallen. There will be a time when this one falls too.” 

“Do you think anyone else knows what you’re thinking?” 

“If they do, they haven’t said anything. I think they’ll be unhappier about you leaving rather than myself. But they don’t know where you live when you’re not here. I think we’ll be safe, but I guess we’ll always have to watch our backs, just in case.” 

“Sooner we get this over and done with, the better. I’d like to move on with our lives.” 

She grabbed my hand, putting it under her skin tight shirt, on her stomach, as she stepped closer. “I wonder if we’ve already conceived,” she said quietly, “I won’t know for at least a few weeks if we have.” 

I felt the smile form as I asked, “One would think you’re excited at the thought.” 

“Making life instead of taking it. I never even dreamed, Ragnar… Arnbjorn never had an interest.” She paused before adding, “You don’t have to leave until tomorrow. Want to head to the bedroom to make sure we have?” 

At dinner later that evening, there was plenty of talk, even excitement, at what was about to happen. Everyone believed that we could not fail. There was little chance many knew out of the Sanctuary of what was to come. It was believed no-one still considered the Dark Brotherhood a threat, and certainly no-one would have believed us capable of assassinating the Emperor. We would prove them all wrong. 

The next morning, while I was feeling confident as I prepared my horse for departure, I could sense the nerves from Astrid. Our embrace lasted far longer than normal. She did not ask for a promise of my return. She simply asked for me to complete the job and return the Brotherhood to glory. Once that was done, our departure would certainly be more… acceptable. The only real problem she foresaw was the fact I was the Listener. But that was for later… 

With time on my side, I did not rush to Solitude. The Gourmet was expected, and it would only be after my arrival that the Emperor would be summoned to Solitude. From what Astrid had learned, my arrival would result in a banquet being organised, at which the Emperor would request the Gourmet cook one of his favourite meals. Astrid assumed I would be told upon arrival. 

I didn’t arrive in Solitude until three days later, taking my time as I took a longer route than normal, arriving in mid-afternoon. There was an air of excitement around the city as I walked through the gates, hearing plenty of conversation regarding the imminent arrival of the Emperor. I headed straight for Castle Dour, overhearing conversation between either city guard or what appeared to be agents I remembered seeing in Dragon Bridge. What I heard was of interest, and I was able to listen into a particular conversation that gave me plenty of information. 

“This city is crawling with Imperial Legion, and you know what? I'm still nervous. Lazy and useless, the lot of them. They can't even keep the Stormcloaks in line. No way I trust them with the Emperor's life.” 

“You worry too much. The Emperor's never been safer. You think assassination attempts are planned overnight? We discovered the plot. End of threat.” 

That was good news. They bought the letter and other items incriminating Gaius Maro. To be honest, while I believed it was believable, I would have thought they’d have cast a net for other conspirator’s. Perhaps this was a sign they were over-confident, though there was still a large presence of guards, soldiers and agents. Dressed in regular clothing, I barely earned a second glance.

“I suppose. But what about the old man? Son killed, family name ruined and he acts as if nothing even happened. Think he's even fit for duty?” 

“I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that. Commander Maro is the best the Penitus Oculatus has ever produced. You should be half the man he is.” 

“You misunderstand. It's just I feel for him, is all. To carry a weight like that. It's got to take its toll. That happened to me, I'd be a wreck.” 

It was easy to decipher the concern, the fact that Maro was no doubt distracted by what had befallen his son. To hear he was still in charge was a surprise to me. I hadn’t met the man, but it was Commander Maro himself at the door. After ordering me to halt, I carefully handed over the Writ of Passage I’d secured from the orc. Maro read the words before looking up at me in surprise. 

“By Azura. The Gourmet! I... I'm sorry! I didn't realise! We... We had no idea when to expect you, you understand.” 

“I get that a lot. Don’t worry about it.” 

“Okay. The Emperor isn’t in residence right now, though we have anticipated your arrival for some time. The banquet he wishes to hold is tomorrow. Can you wait at one of the local inns until that time?” 

“Of course. I am at the service of the Emperor, after all.” 

“If you return during mid-morning tomorrow, head straight for the kitchen. Your arrival has been expected, so inside you’ll find everything you will require.” 

I stayed at the Winking Skeever that evening. I’ll admit to almost sleeping with one eye open, as although I remained confident, I would have preferred to have completed the job immediately. Waking the next morning, I ate breakfast and headed out into the city, where the only topic of conversation was the arrival of the Emperor. Apparently he had arrived the previous evening, entering through a side entrance rather than the main gates. Although Solitude was the capital of Skyrim, and a safe Imperial city, the fact the High King had been murdered in the Blue Palace lingered in the memories of everyone. 

Heading up to Castle Dour, Maro was waiting for me again. He appeared to recognise me, though asked for the Writ again. After re-reading the words, he met my eyes and nodded. “Again, pleased to meet you, Gourmet. Proceed to the kitchens straight away. Gianna, the castle chef, has been eagerly awaiting your arrival.” 

“Thank you.” 

Politeness always helped. 

The castle was full of servants scurrying about, so my progress to the kitchen was possibly observed though ignored. Dressed in regular clothing, and walking confidently, I would have looked like someone who belonged. The kitchen was warm to rather hot, and who I assumed was the head chef was already at the pot. She looked at me as I approached. “Who are you?” 

“The Gourmet.” 

“You’re the Gourmet? Oh! Finally! When I heard the Gourmet was being brought in to cook for the Emperor, I could hardly believe it. It's just...” She trailed off, looking me up and down. 

“What?” I asked, feeling the first fleeting sense of nerves. Did she know who the Gourmet really was? 

“You're a Nord! I never would have guessed it! But where in the world did you learn to cook like that? Here in Skyrim? Or maybe somewhere less...” 

“Who did you think the Gourmet was?” 

“Well, to be honest, I always pictured the Gourmet as being a Wood Elf, a Bosmer. Their knowledge of woodland herbs… If not a Bosmer, then I assumed perhaps a Breton…” 

“I’m one hundred percent Nord, Gianna. So, let me get an apron and a hat, and we’ll get started.” 

“Yes. Of course.” 

After dressing in the appropriate attire, Gianna announced what we were doing. “The Emperor has requested your signature dish -- the Potage le Magnifique. I've taken the liberty of getting it started. But the cookbook only says so much, and everyone makes the Potage differently. I would be honoured if we could make it, you know, the Gourmet's special way. The base broth is already boiled. We can get started right now. So which ingredient should I add next?” 

“A sweetroll.” 

I think she near enough started to laugh. “Oh, how decadent! I never would have guessed.” She added the sweetroll, and I was left wondering how it would taste. It didn’t particularly matter in the end. “Okay, what next?” 

“A nirnroot. If not cooked properly, it can be dangerous to your health. Cooked correctly, and the flavour is sharp but long lasting.” 

Gianna smiled at my explanation. “I use Nirnroot as a special seasoning all the time as well. What a wonderful idea.” 

“Next is some diced horker meat.” 

I think Gianna near enough started to salivate at what we were cooking. “So delicious. I swear, is there a soul alive who doesn't enjoy the taste of...” She trailed off, looking a little embarrassed. “Sorry, I didn't mean to get carried away. There we go, one cup of diced horker meat. I have to say, the stew seems done.” 

I dismissed her apology with a wave of the hand but a smile. “No worries. But there is one last herb to add. Trust me, it gives the Potage a real kick, particularly the way the Emperor likes it.” 

“Are you sure?” I gave her a look. A friendly raised eyebrow, again with a smile. “Of course, of course. Let me add this.” 

“Just sprinkle a little bit. As you said, we don’t want to dilute the distinct flavours.” 

The dining room wasn’t that far away, Gianna carrying the cooking pot as we could hear the conversation between the Emperor and guests as we approached. Funnily enough, they were speaking of the murders that had brought him to Skyrim, and the assassination plot apparently foiled that was led by Gaius Maro. There were one or two bad jokes that led to laughter, Gianna halting us on the threshold until we were summoned by a guard. 

“Aha! Here we are. Honoured guests, I present to you – the Gourmet!” There was applause at my appearance. I merely bowed at the Emperor, as Gianna placed the pot near the Emperor. “Ah, the Potage le Magnifique. So delicious. My friends, as Emperor, I of course reserve the right of first taste.” 

The Emperor helped himself to a generous portion of the potage. If Festus was right, he’d only take a bite or two before the herb worked its magic. His first bite must have blown him away as he was immediately complimentary. He took a second and third bite, continuing to extoll how marvellous it was. Then he dropped his spoon as he looked my way. “It... I... I think something's... wrong... I... Ugh...” 

I turned to look at Gianna. “Run. Now.” 

There were two agents in the room. I might have been unarmed, but I move fast for a big man. I closed in on the nearest one and put a fist into his throat. He dropped immediately to a knee, and I put my own knee into his face. Quickly grabbing his sword, I put my foot into the arse of one of the nobles to clear them out of the way as the second agent attacked me. They were meant to be the best, but the agent was still in shock, and no doubt underestimated who I was, probably still thinking I was just a chef. I disarmed him, and thought about letting him live. There were already witnesses, but the less people who knew my face, the better. I put the sword through his chest, then the other agent lying on the ground, before making my escape. 

The bridge was clear, just as Astrid had promised. Or, at least, it was clear until I was halfway across. That was when Maro showed his face, alongside five more agents, all of them armed. Standing slightly above them, he actually applauded me. 

“That man was, by far, the most insufferable decoy the Emperor has ever employed. I'm glad he's dead. Ah, but I'm even happier that you killed him. You, an assassin for the Dark Brotherhood, has just made an attempt on the Emperor's life. Would have succeeded, had it been the real man.” 

Shit. It was a set-up. I had an inkling this had been far too easy. Why had there been no taster for the Emperor? Didn’t even think of that. Surely he’d have had one, even for someone as trusted as the Gourmet, particularly after the plot to kill him. 

“Surprised?” I merely met his eyes, giving nothing away. No doubt what he was about to tell me wouldn’t be a surprise at all. “So was I when a member of your so-called ‘Family’ approached me with news of your location and who you all were. Let’s just say you probably pissed off the wrong man. Not only did you attempt to kill the Emperor and lay a trail of devastation as you tried, but to steal the man’s wife? The only reason I’ve let him go is he’s going to take some pleasure in helping us eradicate all of you.” 

“Arnbjorn,” I muttered. 

“Oh yes, he had quite a lot of information about you. And Astrid. And the rest of you. Right now, my men are moving in on the location of your Sanctuary, led by the jilted husband. I’m going to allow him a modicum of revenge by killing his wife. Then I might even consider letting him go. I’ll see how I feel. But as for you, you’re responsible for everything. The death of my son. The death of the Emperor’s cousin. The attempted assassination of the Emperor. You sure have been busy. But I will bargain with you right now. Tell me who organised all this, tell me who put you up to this, and I’ll make your death quick.” 

I flipped him my middle finger and beckoned the other five on. Maro laughed before he issued the order to have me killed, preferably chopped into little pieces afterwards, as he disappeared, no doubt heading straight for Falkreath. 

I’d like to say I made short work of the five agents, but unlike the two in the dining room, they were not surprised and were ready for me. The first one died quickly enough, but four on one is nver good odds. Only one or two things worked in my favour. One was the narrowness of the bridge, so they couldn’t surround me. The other was the fact all wanted the kill, so they got in each other’s way. That was perfect me for me, so I stayed where it was the narrowest, and used anything to my advantage. I managed to put my foot into the chest of one and actually kick him over the ledge, hearing his screams all the way until he hit the ground. The other three I slowly but surely put down, but not without taking wounds of my own. 

I made it to the horse I’d left near the exit point, bleeding from numerous wounds, healing those I could, but my magical talents were not enough to stop them all. Despite the pain I was in, a wound across my chest particularly bad, I dug my ankles into the sides of my horse and we took off. I rested forward in the saddle and let the horse have its head, hating the fact the animal moved so damned slow. But I wasn’t going to stop unless the horse collapsed. I needed to make it to the Sanctuary and fast. 

I’m not sure how long it took for us to return. At least two nights, though I spent half the time passed out on the horse, ensuring my hands were tied to the reins so I didn’t fall off as I slept. Once we were approaching Falkreath from the west, I knew we’d approach the Sanctuary first, dismounting my horse and tying it up first before hobbling my way towards the black door. 

I could hear voices, two of them, chatting away about what was going on inside. I had no idea if they’d just arrived or were clearing up. I took both by surprise, leaping from above them, taking one out immediately, managing to fight off the other despite my injuries that meant I had to basically fight one handed, my left arm hanging useless to my side. Looking around outside, I found the body of Festus, his body used as if it had been an archer’s practice target. I felt no sadness at realising he was dead. As long as Astrid… 

Slipping inside the black door, I found the body of Veezara at the corner leading towards the first chamber near Astrid’s bedroom. A cursory check showed his neck had been severed, his head barely attached to the rest of his body. There were probably even more wounds, but there was little point. I checked the bedroom but there was no sign of Astrid, moving deeper into the Sanctuary, flames everywhere, the smoke causing me to lower my head, coughing away. I ran into the first agents not much further in, taking care of them as quickly as possible, before moving into the main chamber. Gabriella was still alive, fighting off three of them. I helped her beat them off before she collapsed into me, barely alive. Wrapping an arm around her waist, I helped her move ahead, finding Babette cowering under the table, the spider they kept as a ‘pet’ already dead. 

She joined us, the three of us finding Nazir surrounded by flames and agents. Gabriella could barely stand but summoned magic to help fight them off, Nazir surprised but thankful all at once as the pair of hacked at the remaining agents. As soon as they were dead, he whirled around to face me, weapon still raised. A look up and down saw him lower his weapon. 

“You look like shit, Listener. I was starting to wonder if you survived all this.” 

“It was all a trap, Nazir. The whole damned thing. We were set up.” 

“Considering most of us are now dead, I assumed as much. And before you ask, no, I don't think it was you. Well, maybe I did, but you saving my sorry hide just now sort of erased any doubts. So thanks.” 

“No worries. Now, I think getting out of here would be the best idea, considering this place is burning and about to collapse on our heads. But where’s Astrid?” 

He shook his head. “I’m not sure. But Arnbjorn…” 

“He was here? You saw him?” 

“He took great delight in leading the cohort of agents inside. Took us completely by surprise. Our numbers were few. We barely fought them off, as you could see.” 

As we attempted to flee, the flames spreading heat and smoke further still, I heard the voice of the Night Mother tickle my mind, calling me towards her. Standing before her shrunken corpse, she bid me to embrace her, so that I may live. I turned back to Nazir, who understood immediately as I stepped into the coffin. He closed the doors and I felt the coffin being pushed, before there was a sound of glass being smashed and a splash. 

The Night Mother then told me to sleep. So I did. 

* * *

My eyelids fluttered as faint light hit my face. I sat up immediately, sword in hand. I thought it was all a bad dream, but the smells of burned flesh told me that it had happened. Turning to my right, Nazir had both hands up, asking me to take it easy. Babette was by his side. “Gabriella?” 

“She’s still alive. Barely, I’m not sure how, but she lives.” 

“Anyone else make it? Astrid?” 

“No sign of her.”

Then the Night Mother spoke again. “You must speak with Astrid. Here, in the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary.” 

A look must have passed my face. “The Night Mother?” Nazir wondered. I nodded as he offered his hand to help me out of the coffin. I first approached Gabriella, who looked up at me with a slight grin. 

“Babette, do you have anything that could help her?” 

“Not right now, Listener. Once we find Astrid, we need to get out of here.” 

Nearly the entire Sanctuary had collapsed in on itself, so I knew we’d leave and never return. I headed back to Astrid’s bedroom. The flames had destroyed everything, but there was no body. Turning in a circle, I noticed an alcove, which led to a secret room. It was there I found Astrid. 

I took a knee beside her, giving her a gentle shake. “Astrid?” 

She opened her eyes, meeting mine as she turned to face me. She was deathly pale. Glancing down, her armour was in tatters, and blood was pooled below her on the ground. She was not long… 

“We can heal you.” 

She smiled, a sweet smile that told me I was being a fool. She stroked my cheek, leaving her hand where it was, feeling slightly cold against it, as she spoke. “I’m just glad you’re alive.” 

“So are you. So what we’re going to do is lift you up, put you on my horse, and…” 

“I’m sorry, Ragnar. I never thought he…” 

I shushed her. “It’s not your fault. I should have tracked him down and taken care of him.” Then I looked around and noticed the candles, the flower… I met her eyes again. “You performed the Black Sacrament?” 

“We were betrayed, Ragnar. And I was a fool. So I performed it, prayed to the Night Mother, so I can order you to kill someone for me. But once you agree, I must die.” 

“No.” 

She placed her other hand on my cheek. “Ragnar, I am going to die.” 

I blinked rapidly. “No, not again.” 

She brought my face down to hers to kiss me. “I love you, Ragnar. I cannot say I happily go to the Void, but if it saves your life and the lives of our friends, and as long as you kill the person I want killed, then I will die happy.” 

“What about our future together?” 

She smiled, but it was a sad one. “We were fooling ourselves, Ragnar. We’re assassins. There is no such thing as happily ever after with people like us. What I can say is that I have loved every single time we’ve been together. Meeting you was the best thing to happen in my life. I wish it didn’t have to end here, but it must, for you to survive.” 

I swallowed, and finally nodded, accepting her words. “Who?” 

“Arnbjorn.” 

“Do you know where he is?” 

“No. But I know you will find him, Ragnar. If not today or tomorrow, maybe one day in the future. But whatever the case, I know you’ll kill him for me.” 

“I won’t just kill him…” 

She took a dagger sheathed to her side. “You must end me with this, Ragnar. It is a symbol of position as Leader of a Sanctuary. I gladly hand it to you. Lead the survivors to Dawnstar. Rebuild the Brotherhood there. And, most importantly, complete the task given to us by Motierre. The Emperor must die.” 

I nodded before leaning down to kiss her again. I felt her arms wrap around me, and I know she put all the feelings into that last kiss. Once we broke apart, our faces inches apart, I stuck the dagger in. “I love you,” she whispered as I held her body to mine. I held onto her long after she had departed, unable to stop the tears streaking down my face. This is what I get for falling in love a second time. For planning a future a second time. The gods clearly did not want a happily ever after for someone such as myself. 

Sitting up on my knees, I wiped my cheeks before exiting into the first chamber, where Nazir, Babette and Gabriella waited. They didn’t need to ask any questions about what happened. “I must speak with the Night Mother. As long as one of us still lives, the contract remains open.” 

Nazir and I dragged the coffin into at least a standing position. It wasn’t a surprise she had information for me. “We must fulfil our contract. Emperor Titus Mede II must be eliminated,” she ordered, “Speak with Amaund Motierre at the Bannered Mare in Whiterun.” 

“He’s still in Skyrim?” I thought he’d have long disappeared. 

“Yes. He will know the true Emperor's location. But first, inform Nazir of your plans. For you are the Listener, and must bind this Family together.” 

So that’s what I did. Nazir and I sat down, discussing our next move. We agreed that our base of operations would move to Dawnstar. He would liaise with Delvin while I was away and help kit the new Sanctuary out with what we needed. He wasn’t that surprised the contract on the Emperor remained open, and that the Night Mother had instructions. I also informed the three of what Astrid had asked for. “Any ideas where Arnbjorn would have gone?” 

The three shook their heads. “He’d have gone to ground, if they haven’t already turned on him,” Gabriella said. 

“You think they’d kill him?” 

She nodded. “He’s an admitted Brotherhood member, or at least, ex-member. Though I guess he might have bought his freedom sacrificing the rest of us.” 

“I’ll worry about him afterwards. I’m heading home, then to Whiterun. I will only return once the Emperor is dead.” 

The first thing I did was head back into the hidden room and pick up Astrid’s body. I wasn’t just going to leave her there. I could have buried her in Falkreath, but that hadn’t been her home. I grabbed a shovel from outside, as the agents had brought along a few tools, and I dug a grave near the small lake only a few metres from the black door. Once it was deep enough, I found something to wrap her body with, and Nazir helped me lower the body into the hole. 

I wasn’t sure what to say. I didn’t surprise them by stating that I loved her, that I would miss her, and that I would get revenge. I didn’t mention what we had planned. It was no longer important. Babette admitted she would miss her, as did Nazir. Gabriella admitted her guilt that she’d ever doubted Astrid. We asked Sithis to take care of her in the Void, as she had at least always remained true to him, and with those last words, we filled in the hole, making sure I left a marker so I would know where she was buried. I would endeavour to return to visit her, just as I did with Muiri. 

There was a spare cart with a horse nearby, left by the agents, so Nazir and I dragged the Night Mother’s coffin outside and loaded it up. They would head straight to Dawnstar, though would stop on the way to heal Gabriella, who was still looking poorly herself. Wishing me good luck, they headed off as I returned to my horse, mounted up, and rode straight for Riften. 

Once there, I went straight to Haelga’s. She took one look at me and understood, embracing me. “You looked just the same when…” 

“I have no luck. You should stay away from me, Haelga.” 

“Like hell I would do that, Ragnar. What happened?” 

“We were betrayed. So I leave tomorrow to take care of everything. I’m not sure… when…” 

“You want to say if, don’t you?” 

I leaned back and met her eyes. “There is a chance… But I don’t particularly want to die either.” 

“Will you stay with me tonight?” 

“I will, but not for that. Not after…” 

“I was more worried about you, Ragnar.” 

She joined me for dinner in the Bee and Barb, where I got rather drunk, not particularly remembering leaving the tavern, nor if we actually did anything together that night. Waking the next morning, the hangover was horrendous, and it was only then that I noticed my nudity. Haelga woke up and assured me that all we did was sleep, and that she always slept nude. So did I, so I believed her. Plus, the usual scent of sex was missing. 

After a quick breakfast, she followed me home, where I changed into my armour and packed all the supplies I would need. She mentioned it looked like I was going to war. She wasn’t completely wrong. Taking everything out to my horse, I ensured everything was tied up before I hugged her a final time. 

“I love you,” she whispered, “But I won’t make you promise.” 

“I love you, Haelga. And I have someone that I want to return to.” 

“Do what you need to do, then come home, Ragnar.”

I kissed her, holding her tight to my body, all the passion and love we had for the other in that last kiss. She had no idea what I was about to do, and it was best she didn’t. She knew it would be dangerous, could possibly cost me my life. That’s all she needed to know. After mounting my horse, she grabbed my hand a final time, telling me she loved me once again. I said the same words back, and with a final wave, I pointed the horse north and rode away. 

I didn’t look back. 

Arriving in Whiterun after dark, I headed to the Bannered Mare, thinking Motierre wouldn’t have stayed anywhere else, not if he wanted to remain incognito. I found his bodyguard sitting at a table. He recognised me immediately and jerked his head towards one of the rooms for rent. Knocking on the door, I entered without invitation, and I think Motierre near enough shit himself upon seeing me. He stayed silent as I took the spare chair at the table. 

“We have unfinished business, Motierre.” 

He leaned forward, and I could feel the nerves radiate off him. “Please! You mustn't think I had anything to do with what happened. I wanted the Emperor dead! The true Emperor! I still do! It was Maro and whoever sold you out.” 

“Motierre, if I thought you were involved, you would already be dead.” He signed with relief before I asked, “The Emperor is still alive. So where is he?” 

“You mean, after all that's transpired, the Dark Brotherhood will still honour the contract?” 

“The Black Sacrament was performed, Motierre. Sithis is due a soul.” 

He couldn’t hold back the smile. “Why, this is astounding news! Wonderful news!” He immediately turned serious, lowering his voice so that I could barely hear it, drowned out by the noise of the music in the main room. “The Emperor is still in Skyrim, but not for long. He's on board his ship, the Katariah, moored offshore in the Solitude Inlet. But you must hurry! If you can get on board that ship. Kill Titus Mede II, as contracted and I will reveal the location of the dead drop that holds your payment.” 

“What about Maro? Where is he placing himself?” 

I noticed the raised eyebrow. “You want revenge?” I nodded. “Solitude docks, preparing for the Emperor’s departure. He will be in Skyrim for no longer than a couple more days.” 

“Then I will sleep lightly and depart early the next day, hopefully returning soon with news of his death. If I don’t, I would suggest you make yourself scarce, Motierre, as although I will not talk, they will eventually discover your presence here. Take this warning how you wish.” 

I left the Bannered Mare and booked a room at the Drunken Huntsman, where I spent time glancing over the maps. Knowing I wanted to get to Maro first, I figured I would have to ride at least towards the docks. If not for Maro, I’d stop south of the inlet and just swim to the ship, but there was no way I was letting Maro get away with having helped Arnbjorn. 

Knowing time was on my side, I waited until the second night to make my move against Maro. Waiting until the sun was starting to set, just so there was enough light to see, I made my way down the docks, ensuring there were no other guards around. I found Maro patrolling, well away from prying eyes, almost without a care in the world. No doubt he figured the Brotherhood was dead. 

“Hello, Commander.” 

He turned upon hearing my voice. He would have taken in the scaled armour first. His eyes immediately flicked to my hands, one holding a sword, the other holding a dagger. But it was definitely the voice he recognised most. “You!” he cried, “You’re supposed to be dead.” 

“Tell me where Arnbjorn is and I’ll let you live.” A blatant lie, one he recognised. 

“I’m not telling you a fucking thing, traitor.” 

“I won’t ask again, Maro. I’ve killed your son. I’ve killed Vici. I’ve killed a lot of people. The Emperor is still on my list. I won’t hesitate killing you. And, trust me on this one, your death is only for me.” 

He unsheathed his sword, a two-handed jobbie, and went on the attack. But as enraged as he was, it was almost too easy for me, swerving and ducking as he swung wildly. I cut him with the dagger time and again, causing him to weaken with each. I wanted to disarm him first, as he would not be sent to Sovngarde upon his death, and a well-timed parry finally managed to take the sword from his grasp. He tried to fight me still, so a hard punch into his nose finally dropped him onto his arse and I was upon him, dagger at his throat. 

“Arnbjorn. Where is he?” 

“Fuck you.” 

“Very well.” I took quite a bit of pleasure slitting his throat. I didn’t make it quick, standing up and watching him slowly fade away, ensuring he didn’t move too far by keeping a foot on his chest. Only when I was sure that he was dead did I drag his corpse to the edge of the pier and roll it into the water. It wouldn’t be found until the next day, and I would be long gone by then. 

After sheathing my weapons, I dove into the water and headed straight for the ship. The water was cold, close enough to freezing, but the darkness would cover my tracks, and I made it to the entry spot without being noticed. Climbing up the anchor chain, I managed to get up to the top deck. I had no idea regarding the layout of the ship, but I knew the Emperor would be in a cabin at the other end of the ship, at least one or two decks below. 

While I would rather complete the job silently, I knew that would be impossible. The top deck had one or two spotters at most, the rest being sailors, who I didn’t particularly want to kill. I managed to get below deck without being seen, clouds coming to my rescue a couple of times. It was only below decks that I started to run into the Emperor’s bodyguards, and once I killed the first one, unable to keep him quiet, I knew I would have to butcher my way to the Emperor’s room. 

The fact it was far too easy didn’t cross my mind, my focus only on making it to the Emperor’s room to finish the job. I’d already killed a lot of agents, so didn’t believe their numbers would be limitless. I’d killed at least half a dozen of agents, and one or two sailors who decided to try and take me on, before I made it to the cabin I wanted. 

It had been far too easy. 

Getting into the cabin wasn’t too hard, finding the key on one of the bodies I’d left behind. And the Emperor was inside, waiting for me. But he wasn’t alone. Flanked to either side were three agents, all armed with bows, all with arrows nocked, watching me as I walked towards the desk he sat behind. Flanking either side of the room were more agents, these armed with sword and shield. They could have attacked me without hesitation and cut me down, but I was surprised the Emperor called for them not to attack. 

“Drop your weapons, son, and take a seat.” I couldn’t move. I shouldn’t have been surprised by the trap. I really thought I’d have been able to take him down and escape. More fool me, I suppose. “And, once more, I prove Commander Maro the fool. I told him you can't stop the Dark Brotherhood. Never could. Come now, don't be shy. You haven't come this far just to stand there gawking.” 

Dropping my weapons, there was little I could do except do as he asked. Even if I tried to kill him, I’d be dead before I’d taken three steps. It was over, and my lift was practically forfeit now. Once I’d taken a seat, I said, “Maro is dead. He is responsible for what happened to the Sanctuary. To Astrid.” 

“She was the leader, correct?” 

“Yes.” 

“And your lover?” 

“If you mean ‘Did I love her?’ then yes, I did. As much as she loved me.” 

“Maro did mention a jealous husband being involved in all of this.” 

“He chose to walk away instead of taking care of the situation. Don’t suppose you can tell me where he is?” 

“Still in Skyrim, though you are aware any idea of hunting him down ended the moment you entered this room.” 

“I’m aware. So, what happens now?” 

“What do you think will happen?” 

“To be honest, I expected to be killed immediately if I was caught. So, now I’m not sure.” 

“I know you killed my niece, Vittoria. You can admit it or not.” I nodded that I did. “You’ve admitted to killing Maro.” 

“That one was purely personal. No contract necessary.” 

“You’ve killed a lot of people to get to me, Listener.” He smiled as no doubt my face showed surprise. “Maro didn’t get to where he was without being very well informed. The only thing we don’t know is your real name.” 

“And you won’t be getting it either. Do with me what you will otherwise.” 

“To be honest, we should put you to death first thing tomorrow. But Tullius doesn’t want that just yet. He has plans for you. No, he won’t use you to wipe out our enemies. We’re more honourable than that, but you will be seeing the inside of a jail cell for a while before we figure out what to do next. There is only one question I have for you.” I nodded again. “Who asked for you to kill me?” 

“You know I can’t answer that question. And considering I am practically dead man walking, I guess there’s no reason why I should help.” 

“Pity, I was hoping to find out, though I will find out eventually. I have an inkling it’s someone on the council. Finding out who has been away causing trouble shouldn’t be too difficult. As for you, Listener, my men here will escort you to prison. There will be no trial. Your guilt is confirmed already.” 

“So what then?” 

“As I said, Tullius has plans.” 

I was swarmed by the half dozen agents, hauled to my feet, my wrists and ankles manacled and chained. Once satisfied I couldn’t escape, a black hood was put over my head, and I guess to make sure I remained agreeable, the last thing I remember is a smack on the back of my head.


	25. Ragnar the Reborn

I have no idea where the prison was where they kept me. I remained alone in my cell. It was rather dark, unsure when it was daylight or not. I was given three meals a day, though to call them meals wasn’t exactly correct, being either bread and water, or some sort of gruel and water. Otherwise, I could only pass the time by pacing the small cell, sitting down and leaning against the wall, or attempting to sleep. 

I was expecting to be tortured eventually. The Emperor would want to know who was behind the contract. But apart from the lone guard who brought my meals, I had no contact with anyone else for what felt like day and weeks. It felt like that, but it might have been only a matter of days. I had no idea when it was day or night, so didn’t know when day passed into night, or vice versa. 

Despite the solitude of my cell, I could hear plenty of noise from within the prison. I assumed others were being beaten or tortured, as I heard the occasional scream and plenty of whimpering. Yet I remained left alone. It actually started to drive me a little bit nuts, the constant isolation, except for the tri-daily visit of the guard to deliver a meal and take the bucket I used for other matters. 

I’m not sure how long I remained alone in the cell but the door finally opened, a trio of heavily armed guards walking in. “Up!” one of them ordered. 

Despite the boredom and isolation, I’d kept my body sharp. I wasn’t in real fighting condition, but if I wanted to, I could have at least given it a go. But looking at their armour and the fact the three carried weapons, I wasn’t going to sacrifice my life for no reason. Rising to my feet, two of them grabbed me, manacled and chained together my wrists and ankles, before I was escorted out of my cell for the first time since my arrival. 

Led towards another room, I was sat on a chair in front of a large desk. Sat to the other side was who I assumed was the warden or commander of the prison. There were sheets of paper in front of him. I assumed that listed the charges or perhaps the orders he had been given regarding my incarceration. 

“No-one knows your real name, so we’ll just call you Listener,” he stated, “Quite the list of charges here. Murder and treason are the stand outs. You are aware there will be no trial?” 

“I know.” 

“I have been given the authority to ask you once, and only the once, for your co-operation. Give us the name of the person or people who asked for you to kill the Emperor, and you may find your time here more comfortable at least, though the chances of your actual release are minimal at best. Don’t help us… Well, I’m sure you can imagine what will happen.” 

“Do what you must. You should realise I will not give up the contact.” 

“You won’t be asked again, Listener. Is that your final response?” 

“It is.” 

“Very well. You will be returned to your cell. Tomorrow morning, you will be taken and transported to the place of your execution. Don’t worry, one thing you won’t be doing is dying alone.” 

“You found the others?” 

“No, we don’t know where the rest of your so-called Brotherhood is, if there are even any survivors. No, you will be dying alongside someone else who wishes to see the end of the Empire too.” I raised my eyebrows as my question was answered. “Yes, we have captured Ulfric Stormcloak. Tomorrow will be a good day for the Empire. The death of the man who attempted to assassinate the Emperor, and the death of the man who wishes to see the Empire itself on his knees. I know you won’t confirm, but we can guess that it wasn’t Ulfric who ordered the death of the Emperor.” 

“That I can confirm. Never met the man myself.” 

“Well, you will die beside him. You will be given a final meal tonight. Tomorrow morning, you’ll be loaded into a cart and transported to Helgen. It has been chosen as the place where the Stormcloak rebellion ends and the threat to the Emperor himself is put to rest.” 

If they were expecting me to plead for my life, perhaps break down and cry, or even fight them off, they didn’t know me well. I accepted my fate. Hauled to my feet, I was led back to my cell, wrists and ankles unchained, and left alone in the cell. That evening, plates of food were delivered, and it was a fine last meal. I was given some meat, potato and vegetables, with bread and ale. It was the best food I’d eaten in days or weeks, so made sure I savoured every bite. 

I was woken by the clanking of keys the next morning. Ordered to my feet, I was surprised not to find my ankles bound, though my wrists were, though only by rope. Led down a corridor, with further cells to my left and right, I was led up a couple of flights of steps and out into the fresh air, ensuring I took a deep breath. I had no idea where we were, but it looked like a fort, glancing around to see quite a few Imperial soldiers. The smell and damp in the air suggested we were in the south. 

Pushed onto a cart, I found myself joined by three others. Two were dirty and bloodied, and considering the Imperial soldiers around us, I figured them for Stormcloaks, as both had the build of soldiers. The third man I couldn’t pick, so figured he was a common criminal. The man opposite nodded in my direction but didn’t say anything. 

The first hour or so took place in silence and we were led past the remains of the Sanctuary near Falkreath. The man across noticed my glance linger longer than probably expected, so it was no surprise when he asked, “You know what was there?” 

“Aye, I did. I do. Someone is buried there.” 

“A lover?” 

“One of them. She’s buried there, and it was the last Sanctuary.” 

“Sanctuary? Sanctuary for what?” 

I met his eyes. “Sure you want to know the truth?” 

“I assume we’re all here as we will soon be in Sovngarde. I don’t think there’s a point in holding onto secrets anymore.” 

“What’s your name?” 

“Ralof.” 

“Call me the Listener. I was the last one of the Dark Brotherhood.” 

“Listener? Dark Brotherhood? Last… You were an assassin?” 

“I was. Now I’m the last of my kind. The others are dead, and as for the Night Mother, I can only assume the body was burned.” I wasn’t saying it for the benefit of Ralof. I knew the soldiers around us would be listening in. No doubt that’s why I hadn’t been told to shut up just yet. “As for my crimes, I killed Vittoria Vici, the Emperor’s cousin, which led to his arrival in Skyrim. I killed the son of Commander Maro, implicating him in a plot to kill the Emperor. I killed Commander Maro as he was responsible for the death of Astrid, leader of the Brotherhood in Skyrim, and my lover. And I was finally caught just as I was about to kill the Emperor himself. Bastard knew I was coming.”

“No wonder you’re in this cart with us.” 

“I can only assume you’re Stormcloaks.” 

“Aye. Beside you sits Ulfric Stormcloak himself.” 

I glanced to my right, wondering why his mouth was currently covered by a cloth. As for the man himself, he was what I expected. He’d be tall, broad, slightly greying blonde hair, and when his eyes met mine, I could see why men and women followed him. They expressed everything and nothing at once. “Well, if the Empire caught him, then we’re definitely going to our deaths.” Glancing at the man next to Ralof, I asked, “What are you here for?” 

“I’m a horse thief.” 

I couldn’t help chuckle. “Seems the Empire will put you to death for anything nowadays.” 

“You seriously tried to assassinate the Emperor?” Ralof asked in disbelief. 

“Twice. The first time I poisoned his meal, but the man who died was a decoy. I managed to escape the first time, not without a couple of injuries. I had no such chance second time around. Why he didn’t just have me killed straight away, I’m not sure.” 

“How long have you been held?” Shrugging, I admitted I had no idea. “Well, I guess it doesn’t matter.” Glancing to his right, he added, “I think they’re taking us to Helgen.” 

“Why Helgen?” 

“Who knows? It means nothing to the Stormcloaks.” 

The cart descended into silence, listening to the thief silently pray to himself as we approached the city gates. They were opened as we approached, and I noticed Imperial soldiers and Thalmor. Ralof didn’t hide his disgust. “Look at him, General Tullius the Military Governor. And it looks like the Thalmor are with him. Damn elves. I bet they had something to do with this.” 

“You mean with your capture?” 

“Aye.” He looked around, adding nothing else about what happened to them, and eventually took a deep breath. “I used to be sweet on a girl from here. Wonder if Vilod is still making that mead with juniper berries mixed in.” He paused and chuckled, albeit bitterly, “Funny, when I was a boy, Imperial walls and towers used to make me feel so safe.” 

“I grew up in Cyrodiil.” 

“How long have you been here for?” 

“A couple of years at least. Had a few jobs before finding talent as an assassin. Was married, now widowed. To be honest, dying isn’t that bad a thing.” 

“Dreams of Sovngarde?” 

I shook my head. “Not a chance they’d accept me. No, I’ll end up somewhere else.” 

“Have you ever fought as a warrior? Maybe a mercenary?” 

I could hear a hopeful tone, perhaps thinking I had at least done something decent with my life before. “Aye, I fought with the Fighter’s Guild before ending up here.” 

“There is honour in that, stranger. Perhaps the gods will find that acceptable.” 

“No matter what, I am not afraid of death.” 

I wasn’t. Part of me hoped that death would be in an instant, and I would join Muiri wherever she was. But the larger part knew that my soul would be claimed by one of the Daedra. I figured it would probably be Nocturnal if anyone as I’d pretty much sold my soul to her to become a Nightingale. I didn’t particularly want to be part of the Ebonmere, or the Shadows as Karliah had called it, but I could think of worse fates. 

There were two carts, we were the lead one, the other trailing close behind. We pulled up in front of what might have been a temple, but there were rows of soldiers, but my eyes immediately went to the headsman, who stood still, one hand holding an enormous axe. So we were definitely being beheaded. That was a quick death, at least. 

Ordered from the cart, we gathered in a bunch, no doubt all of us wary as we were all unarmed, surrounded by soldiers. I had no doubt they’d be quite happy to start swinging. Whether they knew who exactly most of us were, I’m not sure, but Ulfric certainly stood out, as we were the same height, taller than those around us. 

The Imperial officer in charge, a woman, announced, “Step toward the block when we call your name. One at a time!” 

Ralof muttered something about the Empire and their lists as Ulfric stepped forward as he was called first. “It has been an honour, Jarl Ulfric,” he added as Ulfric stepped away. 

“Ralof of Riverwood.” He turned my way, dipped his head, returning the gesture to him, as he stepped away. The thief was called forward next, and the idiot tried to run. He made it perhaps twenty, thirty metres before he was shot by a trio of arrows. 

“Idiot,” I muttered, but he was going to die, one way or the other. 

Then I was called forward. As he didn’t know my name, he simply called me ‘Listener’. “Will you tell me your name? Your real name?” 

“No. It’s not important anymore.” 

“Where you are from?” 

“That’s not particularly important either. I’m not sure what you’ll do with the others, so just burn my body when you’re done.” 

“Where would you like the ashes sent?” 

“Honestly, I don’t care. Dump them where it’s easiest. Nearest lake, if you’d like.” 

“We can do that. You should join the others.” 

I could tell most of the prisoners were soldiers, as they were lined up behind Ulfric, standing at ease but proud, despite being dressed in rags and their hands bound in front of them. On the elevated area in front of us, where a row of soldiers waited, alongside the headsman, the man Ralof had pointed out as General Tullius stepped before us, his eyes only for Ulfric. 

“Ulfric Stormcloak. Some here in Helgen call you a hero, but a hero doesn't use a power like the Voice to murder his king and usurp his throne.” I think Ulfric had particular words for the general, but due to the gag, it was muffled. “You started this war, plunged Skyrim into chaos and now the Empire is going to put you down, and restore the peace.” 

I guess that was proof that the Empire didn’t believe in trials, though if Ulfric was considered a traitor, from the little I knew, they were generally executed without one. Ulfric tried saying something else again, though my attention was taken by a loud noise that echoed from a nearby mountain. I know I wasn’t the only one to hear it, as plenty of heads turned in the direction of it. One or two questions were raised, but Tullius ordered the last rites be performed. 

A Priestess of Arkay stepped forward, but one of the Stormcloaks told her to shut up and get on with it. I’d seen plenty of people die before, many at my own hand, but as he was placed on his knees, waiting for the axe, I couldn’t help but feel respect for this soldier as he faced death. 

“As fearless in death as he was in life,” Ralof stated solemnly. I could only imagine they were comrades in arms and friends. 

Then I was called forward. A slight surprise, as I figured they would have wanted to get Ulfric done quickly, end it there and then, but I guess they knew who I was too, so their hatred for me probably matched their hatred for Ulfric. I strolled forward, enjoying the last minute or so of life I had left, taking a deep breath of fresh air, looking around at the trees in the distance, closing my eyes and feeling the slight wind on my bare shoulders, wondering if every condemned man did the same thing in their last moments. 

Standing before the chopping block, I was gently put down on my knees before I rested my neck in place, looking up at the headsman. “Just make sure it’s a clean strike, headsman. At least give me that.” 

I closed my eyes, not particularly wanting to watch the axe come down to take my head. Then I heard that same noise I’d heard echo down from the mountain, though it was far, far closer this time. Opening my eyes, I saw what could only be described a dragon land on the tower nearby. It then did… something, I’m not sure what exactly, but the headsman dropped his axe and collapsed to the ground. Whatever the dragon did sent me rolling away from the chopping block at the same time. 

And then all hell let loose… 

* * *

Ralof and I ducked behind a rock ledge, hoping the dragon above didn’t see us. I have no idea how many people had just died in Helgen. Far too many, and I was someone who dealt with death near every day. But there was something… wrong about what had just happened. What had made a dragon attack us then and there? Why now? Those were not the only questions as the dragon flew into the distance. 

Following the dirt path ahead, Ralof mentioned that the village of Riverwood was only a short walk away. As we wandered along, he pointed out some landmarks in the area. I honestly can’t remember if I’d ever ridden through Riverwood. I’m sure I had, as he mentioned it was part of Whiterun Hold, and I’d visited there often enough, but even Ralof admitted you could pass through Riverwood and barely notice it. 

We came to a stop a set of standing stones. I’d seen one or two on my travels around Skyrim. There were three stones in total, which was unusual, as there was generally only one. “Warrior, mage or thief, depending on what you believe in.” 

“Any idea what they do?” I wondered. 

“Some say those who pray at a stone will be given gifts from the gods themselves.” He paused and met my eyes. “You say you were an assassin. Look at it this way. What’s just happened at Helgen, the fact you were a condemned man and have escaped with your life, nearly everyone who was involved now lies dead. You can restart your life from this moment. Whatever you’ve done before may be forgiven depending on what you do next. What did you do before, apart from the Brotherhood?” 

“I was a thief, and a bloody good one at that.” 

He looked me up and down. “You have the build of a warrior. Why not try the noble and honourable path with this new lease of life? Consider this a chance for the rebirth of your character?” 

“You judge me better than I deserve, Ralof.” 

“I believe in second chances… I don’t even know your name…” 

I offered my hand. “My name is Ragnar. And I live in Riften.” 

He grasped my forearm and met my eyes again. “Well met, kinsman. So, which stone will you pray at?” 

“I assume you prayed at the warrior stone?” He nodded. “Ragnar the Reborn has a good ring to it.” 

I knelt in front of the warrior stone, Ralof instructing me what to do. I’m not sure what happened, but the stone soon lit up and a beam of light ascended into the clouds. “The gods hear your prayers, Ragnar. You have their favour, it seems.” 

Getting to my feet, I didn’t feel any different. I was dressed in leather armour, the sort I hadn’t worn in years, not since my earliest days in the Fighter’s Guild. I had an iron sword and shield, and a wooden bow. Any gear I had while trying to assassinate the Emperor had long since disappeared. I would have to return to Riften to get re-armed and armoured. 

Resuming our walk, Ralof invited me to meet his sister, Gerdur. She was pleased to see her brother and was immediately interested in who I was. He just introduced me as Ragnar, someone he had escaped Helgen with. She was very helpful, offering her own place as somewhere we could rest our heads, as I was also introduced to her husband and a boy I believe was her son. We were both starving, and she happily stopped her work, escorting us to her house and started to put together a meal for us. Ralof insisted he could cook though she pretty much ordered him to sit down. I felt rather exhausted after our escape through Helgen, and suggested a good wash in the nearby river would be nice after a feed. 

There was certainly something peaceful about Riverwood, though what I definitely appreciated was the feeling of freedom. I have no idea how long I lived in that cell. Certainly a month and more. I always knew there was a chance I’d eventually see the inside of a cell, and now that I had, I certainly had no desire to return. I won’t say I would immediately turn over a new leaf, but my life as an assassin was certainly at an end. As for a thief, I’d visit the Flagon and let them know what had happened. What I did after that, I wasn’t sure. 

Gerdur had a couple of spare beds in the basement where Ralof and I could relax and sleep, providing us with plenty of ale and mead, figuring we could do with a few drinks. I asked Ralof about how he’d been captured and the war in general, as I was honest with him and admitted I knew little about it. 

“Do you not want a free Skyrim, free from the control of the Empire and Thalmor influence, free to worship who we want?” 

“You’re talking about Talos?” 

“Aye.” 

“He’s not the god I revere most.”

I could see the surprise on his face. “But… You’re a Nord!” 

“I know I am. But, for certain reasons, I worship another god.” 

I think he wanted to ask who, but then figured it was a private matter, so moved on. “The war is currently a stalemate. The Empire and Stormcloaks each control four Holds. Whiterun is still undecided. Ulfric is trying to tempt him with promises for after the war, but so far, Balgruuf won’t commit, claiming complete neutrality.” He met my eyes. “Would you ever choose a side?” 

“I’m from Cyrodiil, Ralof, but I’m also a Nord. I will take the weak excuse by saying it’s not my fight as I have split allegiance. I am a Nord, so Skyrim is my homeland, but until a couple of years ago, Cyrodiil and the heart of the Empire was my home.” 

The Stormcloaks I’d conversed with, and to be honest I hadn’t spoken to many, were not particularly open-minded. But Ralof nodded, and stated he understood my reasoning. “We could do with someone such as yourself, if the way you fought through Helgen is any indication of your talents.” 

Gerdur fed us again the next morning, asking plenty more questions of Ralof, and asking me one or two personal questions. She knew I wasn’t a Stormcloak, so wondered what I did for a living. “I was a mercenary. I killed the wrong man, which is why I was in Helgen too.” 

“Married?” 

“No. Widowed.” 

“And where are you from?” 

“Originally from Cyrodiil. Arrived in Skyrim a couple of years back, and now Riften is my home.” 

“Will you be wanting to head back there?” 

“Eventually.” 

“So you’re in no rush to go back?” 

“Honestly, I don’t know what I’m going to do next. Life has fallen apart somewhat recently.” 

“If you’re not going home straight away, can I ask a favour?” I nodded. “Ralof will need to return to Windhelm immediately as we must know that Ulfric Stormcloak survived the attack. That means we need your help. Riverwood needs your help. The Jarl needs to know there's a dragon on the loose. Riverwood is defenceless at the moment, particularly against any sort of dragon. We need to get word to Jarl Balgruuf in Whiterun to send whatever soldiers he can. If you'll do that for me, I'll be in your debt.” 

I glanced at Ralof across the table before returning my eyes to her. Shrugging, I said, “Sure, why not? I’m in no real rush to return, so I guess I can head to Whiterun first.” 

Ralof and I left Riverwood mid-morning. I was still dressed in the leather armour I’d taken in Helgen, Ralof had found Stormcloak gear, though he covered that with a cloak, as although Whiterun was neutral, he still didn’t want to be noticed. It was only an hours or so walk to the crossroad, noticing the former Honningbrew Meadery to my left, with Whiterun perched on its hill in the distance. I shook hands with Ralof, wishing each other luck before splitting up, Ralof continuing to head north. If I’d really wanted to, I could have turned right, crossed the bridge, and eventually ended up in Riften, but I’d given my word to Gerdur, so turned left and headed along the western road towards Whiterun. 

Having visited Whiterun several times, I knew most people at least by name, though was smart enough not to get to know any guards too well, particularly once we had the city in our grip. ‘Our’ meaning the Thieves Guild, though I knew we had a few guards in pocked in the event one of us ended up in jail. I still had no idea how long I’d been locked up for. It may have only been a few days but I had a feeling it was a few weeks. 

Approaching Dragonsreach, the guard to either side of the giant doors stepped in my way, looking me up and down. I may have washed, but I probably looked like a bandit. “What brings you to Dragonsreach, stranger?” 

“I’ve just come from Riverwood. I have a message for the jarl.” 

The two guards shared a look and stepped aside, one opening the door for me. Walking inside, my walk slowed until I was barely moving, craning my neck to take in the expanse of the hall. I had entered the jarl’s residence in Riften only the once, and that was nothing compared to Dragonsreach. It was spectacular. Up a small set of steps and past an enormous fire pit, the jarl was in conversation with a couple of other people. My progress was stopped by an armed Dunmer, who looked ready to put a sword through me without hesitation. 

“What's the meaning of this interruption? Jarl Balgruuf is not receiving any visitors.” 

“I was at Helgen yesterday. A dragon…” I paused, then added, “I really should speak to the jarl about this.” 

“As Housecarl, my job is to deal with all dangers that threaten the jarl or his people. So, you have my attention. Now, explain yourself.” 

“Fine. A dragon destroyed Helgen yesterday. I barely escaped with my life. I managed to escape to Riverwood, and Gerdur asked me to come here so help can be sent to Riverwood.” 

“What was that about Helgen?” the jarl wondered, now looking directly at me, gesturing me forward. 

I politely dipped my head before stepped towards him. “A dragon destroyed Helgen. Gerdur is afraid Riverwood is next.” 

“Gerdur? Owns the lumber mill, if I'm not mistaken... Pillar of the community. Not prone to flights of fancy.” Then he leaned forward, his own eyes taking in myself, no doubt judging me on appearance first. “And you're sure Helgen was destroyed by a dragon? This wasn't some Stormcloak raid gone wrong?” 

“Saw the dragon with my own eyes, sir. Helgen was destroyed around me as I made my escape.” I figured I’d avoid why I was there and the fact Ulfric Stormcloak was there. I just wanted to report this then get on with my life. 

The jarl turned from me to one of the other gentlemen nearby. “What do you say now, Proventus? Shall we continue to trust in the strength of our walls? Against a dragon?” 

“My lord, we should send troops to Riverwood at once,” his Housecarl stated, “It's in the most immediate danger. If that dragon is lurking in the mountains...” 

“The Jarl of Falkreath will view that as a provocation! He'll assume we're preparing to join Ulfric's side and attack him! We should not…” 

The jarl slammed his palms into the arms of his throne. “Enough! I'll not stand idly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people! Irileth, send a detachment to Riverwood at once!” 

I didn’t know her, but I swear she smirked in the direction of Proventus. “Yes, my jarl.” 

No doubt embarrassed in front of the stranger, Proventus simply requested his leave, the jarl agreeing he had other matters to attend to. Left alone with the jarl, except another tough looking Nord nearby, who I assumed was perhaps a bodyguard, he leaned back and relaxed. “Thank you, stranger. You've done Whiterun a service, and I won't forget it.” 

“It was the right thing to do, lord.” 

“You’re not local to my city, are you?” 

“No, lord. It’s a long story, but I have a house in Riften. That’s where I call home.” 

“Do you have family there? Any urgent business that will require you to return there immediately?” 

“No, lord.” 

“Then if I may ask a favour, I have need for talented, or perhaps lucky people such as yourself. My court wizard will undertake research into the return of dragons, and as you’ve actually seen one and survived an encounter, your experience could prove invaluable.” 

“Are you asking me to stay in Whiterun, lord?” 

“Yes.” 

I shrugged. “Not a problem. But I have no coin nor place to rest my head.” Looking down and gesturing, I added, “I lost everything in Helgen. I have no idea who this armour belonged to, but they’re probably dead. The sword and shield I have are nothing compared to what I carried before.” 

“Coin isn’t a problem. You deserve a reward for what you’ve done for us. Regarding everything else, you should approach the Companions for work. How’s your sword arm?” 

“I’m not dead yet, lord. Earned a few scars though.” 

“Speak to Kodlak Whitemane. He’s a good man, and if he thinks you’ll prove worthy, he’ll agree to your recruitment. But first…” 

His bodyguard disappeared for a couple of minutes, returning with a coin purse. I had a glance and couldn’t help but look at the jarl in surprise. “Well deserved, I think.” 

“Thank you, lord.” 

“Head to Jorrvaskr, home of the Companions. When I have need of you again, I’ll send a couple of guards to find you.” 

Heading back out into the city, my first thought was about getting some new armour. The armour I’d been wearing when trying to assassinate the Emperor had been my Brotherhood armour, so that was long gone. My scaled armour that I’d bought from Grelka long ago was still in Riften. I could take a carriage there and back, but I had no idea when the jarl would send someone for me. And, to be honest, if he was going to give me coin purses full of gold, I had reason to hang around. 

Walking into the hall, the roof appearing to be that of an upturned boat, I guess I shouldn’t have been too surprised to see a pair of Companions going at it. As in fighting, not fucking. And neither was holding back, hearing the impact of fist against skin, even from a few metres back. The crowd wasn’t trying to intervene and stop it. In fact, they were urging them on, giving advice at the same time. 

I watched from a distance for a couple of minutes, surprised at how long they both lasted, before I asked the elderly women cleaning up where Kodlak Whiteman was. I was directed towards the living quarters below. The long hallway below was lined with trophies, the heads of beasts, plaques with shields and weapons, shelves with books and other knick-knacks. Strolling towards the doors at the end, I waited at the threshold, noticing two warriors in discussion. One was older, with long greying hair, who I had to assume was Kodlak. The other was far younger, and I tuned out, not wanting to interrupt not eavesdrop on their conversation. 

Only when the eyes of the older man turn towards me did I stride forward. “A stranger comes to our hall. What can I do for you, young man?” 

“I’d like to join the Companions, sir.” 

The ‘sir’ made him smirk. “Sir?” I shrugged as he rose to his feet. I didn’t want to guess his age, but despite what I assumed, he was still tall and broad, and his eyes spoke of decades of experience. He looked me up and down before circling around me. I stood almost at attention, only meeting his eyes once he stood in front of me again. “Hmmm, yes. Perhaps a certain strength of spirit. What’s your name?” 

“Ragnar. Originally from Cyrodiil, I’ve called Riften my home for the last few years.” 

“And now you’re here?” 

“Have you heard what happened in Helgen?” 

“Whispers. You were involved? Something about a dragon?” 

“Barely escaped with my life. The jarl has asked me to stay close by if the situation develops, and he suggested I come here for work.” 

“Have you done work like this before?” 

“I worked with the Fighter’s Guild in Cyrodiil.” 

He nodded approvingly. “They are a good order of warriors. I would assume you learned many of your skills with them?” 

“Aye. My commander was a good man and a better warrior.” 

“Then I think we should put that to the test.”

"Master, you're not truly considering accepting him?" 

I met the eyes of the warrior still sitting nearby. He met my eyes and I returned what I hoped was a friendly smile. Kodlak turned towards him. “I am nobody's master, Vilkas. And last I checked, we had some empty beds in Jorrvaskr for those with a fire burning in hearts.” 

“Apologies,” Vilkas stated, and I could hear the respect in that one word, “But perhaps this isn't the time. I've never even heard of this outsider.” 

Kodlak looked back at me. “Sometimes the famous come to us. Sometimes men and women come to us to seek their fame. It makes no difference. What matters is their heart.” 

I almost wanted to tell him that I wasn’t the man he hoped I was. Or, at least, I wasn’t yet. But perhaps working with this guild of fighters would help restore some honour. I’d never looked at myself as ‘evil’, though perhaps some of the acts I’d done would certainly be considered that. I knew I certainly wasn’t what someone would consider ‘good’. 

But Kodlak still wanted to test me, so asked Vilkas to take me outside to spar. When Vilkas stood up, he near enough stood as tall as me, but was certainly broad. He said nothing as we headed out the back of the hall, where there were tables and chairs, covered in tankards and plates. A couple of dummies and targets for practice, but otherwise, it was a clear space for us to spar. 

He was similar to me, armed with a sword and shield, though his were certainly of a higher standard than the shit I was armed with. “The old man said to have a look at you, so let's do this. Just have a few swings at me so I can see your form. Don't worry, I can take it.” 

Figuring I wanted to make at least a half-decent impression, I drew on my years of experience, and managed to get him on the back foot. I wasn’t aiming to draw blood, so figured I’d just have him take half a dozen steps back before raising an eyebrow. He laughed and nodded. “There you go! Not bad. Next time won't be so easy! You might just make it. But for now, you are just a whelp to us.” 

And that was proven quickly as I wasn’t sent out to solve problems nor fight, but was given plenty of menial tasks to do. I wasn’t made to clean up or anything, they already had the elderly woman for that, but I was sent around Whiterun with things to get fixed and other jobs better suited to… Well, someone that wasn’t me. But I did it with a smile, as although I was little more than a whelp in their eyes, I found a purpose. Put up with their shit to begin with, then I’d prove myself completely. 

While doing that, I made sure I was friendly to the others, getting to know at least names and faces, as much as they knew me. And being who I was, my eye certainly appraised the females of the order. One who certainly took my eye was Aela, who called herself ‘the Huntress’. She was gorgeous, with a pair of the finest legs I’d ever seen on a Nord woman, but the rest of her body was a gift from the Divines. But she was involved with a fellow warrior named Skjor, and I wasn’t going to get involved in a contest for her affections. Another who took my eye was a young woman named Ria, whose enthusiasm for the order was certainly infectious. 

Alas, I did not sleep with anyone from the Companions. Or, at least, not while I was still a whelp. I went looking for pleasure elsewhere, as although I’d now experience the loss of two lovers, I still had needs, at least of the physical kind. So after around a week, I headed to the Drunken Hunstman in the evening, hoping to find Jenassa. She wasn’t there, but man behind the bar told me she might be home. 

Knocking on her door, she was surprised to see me at first and the tone of her voice suggested as much. “Ragnar! I haven’t seen you in… Well, I’ve seen you around town but… What brings you to my door?” 

“Honestly, there’s so much to tell you, I’m not sure where to begin.” 

“Well, why don’t you come in and tell me.” 

I took a seat at the table as she brought a pair of tankards and some ale, and I regaled her with stories, skimming past the obvious things I didn’t want to share. When it came to my incarceration, I said it was simply trying to kill the wrong man. She didn’t ask too many questions, but figured I’d broken the law, admitting she skirted if not broke it herself often enough. 

After a couple of drinks, our conversation turned rather flirtatious, and it was no surprise we tumbled into bed soon after. I’ll be honest, I probably would have fucked any woman who wanted me, but I’ll admit I was glad to have chosen Jenassa. Once I had her naked again, memories of the night we’d spent together long ago returned, that athletic body, fantastic legs and wonderful butt all on display. 

She got on all fours on her bed and I buried my face in her pussy. I’m not sure what others thought, but there was a difference in taste between Nord, Breton and Dunmer. Not sure exactly what caused it, but if I went down on Haelga and then Karliah, then was a difference. Jenassa loved what I did with my tongue, bringing her to orgasm quicker than I would have thought, then I moved up, spreading her cheeks and tickling her arse. 

“Oh, someone has ideas…” 

“Just teasing, unless it interests you.” 

“With that thing of yours, Ragnar? Oh yes. Oh yes indeed. But do that later. I want what you’d called it ‘normally’ first.” 

She remained on all fours as I lined my cock up, looking back with a delightful smirk on her face. She remained looking back as I slid inside her, though her eyes fluttered in a way that suggested she enjoyed it, particularly once my entire length was inside her. “I won’t last long,” I confessed. 

“Been a while?” 

“Not sure how long I was in that cell for. Plus, well, let’s just say I’m already enjoying myself.” 

Remembering that she liked to be fucked hard, I grabbed onto her hips and wasted little time pounding her. She loved it, or the noises she made told me as much. But I wasn’t lying. I barely lasted five minutes, thankful I’d already made her cum with my mouth. The groan I made as I erupted inside her probably echoed around Whiterun, feeling it necessary to lean forward, careful not to rest too heavily on Jenassa at the same time. 

“I’ll last longer for round two.” 

“No complaints, Ragnar,” she whispered, feeling her squeeze my cock, “And you’re still pretty hard anyway.” 

“Youth and perpetual horniness does that.” 

I pulled out and collapsed onto the bed beside her, where she leaned over to give me a rather soft kiss. My face must have shown surprised as a smile appeared, which lit up her face, and in the candlelight she looked, well, beautiful. “Is it a surprise that I like you, Ragnar?” 

“I’d be wondering what I was doing here if you didn’t.” 

“I remember our night together fondly, and hoped it would happen again another time.” 

“No-one take your fancy around Whiterun?” 

“Oh, I enjoy the occasional fling with one or two locals, but nothing serious.” 

We continued to make out until I was ready to go again, Jenassa rolling me onto my back, resting herself on my crotch as she reached across to her bedside table, retrieving a bottle of oil from the top drawer, giving me a look I knew well. She then spent some time lubing me up while talking incredibly dirty at the same time, the general theme being she wanted me to fuck her arse. 

Despite being rather eager, she was still careful as my head popped inside that tighter hole. I watched her face as she concentrated hard on not just taking my entire length at once, resting a hand on my chest as mine rested on her hips. It took her a few minutes before she was comfortable enough to start riding me, but once she was, it was… fantastic. 

I had to ask, “Have you done this before?” 

“Just the once,” she breathed, “His dick was nothing like yours though.” She then moaned quite loudly, moving of my hands, suggesting I use my fingers to fondle her too. “Do that and it’s going to be enormous. Get ready to catch me.” 

Chuckling, I asked, “That good?” 

“I would have done this our first time together but, well, I thought you would think things…” 

“Trust me, I thought about it too. Your arse is fantastic, inside and out.” 

She stopped as she had to laugh at my comment before resuming her slow, rhythmic grinding, soon enough leaning forward, hands to either side of my head, as I bent my knees so I could start to meet her movements. She kissed me hard once I started doing that, begging me to fuck her a little harder. So that’s what I did, and though her brow did crease occasionally, wondering if it was hurting her, she didn’t ask me to stop. But I didn’t pound her as hard as I would Haelga. 

Sitting back up again, my hand went back towards her sex to fondle her, and after placing both hands on my chest, she leaned forward enough to look into my eyes, before she took full control, bouncing away even faster. I could see her wince every so often, but apart from positioning myself for best effect, I barely moved. 

“Love my cock up your arse?” I wondered, as apart from some deep breathing and a lot of moaning and groaning, the dirty talk had been at a minimum. 

“By Azura, it’s the best I’ve had.” 

“Want it again?” 

“Not so long between fucks next time would be good.” 

“Deal.” 

She was soon bouncing away quite fast and hard, and with what my fingers were doing to her clit, she wasn’t lying about her orgasm. She shuddered so much she almost fell off my lap before falling forward, collapsing on my chest, barely able to do anything except breathing deeply. Wrapping my arms around her, she wiggled, stating she was sensitive, though didn’t actually want me to move my hands. It took a few minutes for her to recover before she lifted herself up, my cock falling out of her. 

“I might be a little sore in the morning,” she said softly. 

“Enjoy yourself though?” 

She looked up with a smile. “I want to do that again. Maybe you can take control next time. Really give me a good fucking.” 

I moved my hands to her arse. “The idea of fucking this tight little arse is very arousing.” 

“When are you next in Whiterun?” 

“I’m living here at the moment.” 

The smile only broadened. “So you can visit often?” 

“Well, as I mentioned, I’m working with the Companions, so if I’m not in Jorrvaskr, I’m sure I can find enough reasons to leave of an evening.” 

Sliding onto the bed next to me, she cuddled into my side as I wrapped an arm around her, feeling one of those fine legs of hers rested between mine. She was asleep within minutes, which gave me a chuckle. I just appreciated the feeling of a naked woman in my arms again. I’d been in Whiterun for longer than a week without intimacy, and add to that all the time I’d been in a cell, little wonder I’d barely lasted five minutes first time around. 

I did get up to give myself a wash, as I figured she’d be eager for some more the next morning, before re-joining her, Jenassa instinctively turning onto her side to spoon into me. Good thing I washed, as she was eager the next morning, spinning around so we could pleasure each other with our mouths first, and she was happy enough to swallow a load before I made her cum more than once with my mouth. She then laid back, spread her legs, and practically demanded that I fuck her. 

She complained about being sore, front and back, once I was done. Leaving after we’d had breakfast, the kiss we shared suggested she didn’t particularly want me to go, but we both had jobs to do, as she had told me about having to leave Whiterun for a couple of days, though we agreed to pop into the Drunken Huntsman whenever we were in town. 

Wandering into Jorrvaskr, my disappearance had been noted, one or two wondering where I had been. I let them know I’d been with Jenassa, Athis exclaiming surprise that I’d been intimate with a Dunmer. “I didn’t think Nords were interested in my kind, particularly sexually.” 

“She wasn’t my first Dunmer.” 

“You’ve had previous?”

“Of course. You’re Dunmer. Surely you know your women well?” 

He laughed. “Sounds like you really like us, or at least the female form?” 

“Well, those I’ve been intimate with, I definitely liked.” 

Though early, I sat down with Athis and some of the others to enjoy a round of drinks, and was quite happy to continue doing that until Aela approached me. She definitely noticed my eyes run up from her boots to her face, the smirk on her face a sign that she probably didn’t mind. Maybe she was used to it. 

I was told to head downstairs as Skjor had news for me. Greeting the bald-headed warrior, he told me that it was time for me real initiation. The Companions had recently received news about an ancient weapon call Wuuthrad, an enormous axe once wielded by Ysgramor, which had long since been lost and broken up. A piece had been discovered in a ruin nearby and my task would be to retrieve the piece. Farkas would be sent along with me as a Shield-Brother, as he would report if I performed honourably or not. 

We would be heading to a ruin called Dustman’s Cairn the next morning.


End file.
